


You Found Me

by CelestialStatus



Series: Ivy's Tangled Adventure [1]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:27:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23633095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelestialStatus/pseuds/CelestialStatus
Summary: For thousands of years Ivy has lived in her wood, ignoring the world around her. She's ripped from her isolation when a golden haired princess and a clumsy alchemist thrust her head first into an adventure filled with mystery, excitement, strange feelings, and a discovery about her unknown past that will lead Ivy to question everything she thought she knew. Setting off to find the answers to a growing mystery Ivy and her new friends will encounter an ancient evil hellbent on destruction. Will Ivy unlock the secrets of her past? Will she and her friends be able to defeat the forces of darkness? Or will it all end in ruin?
Relationships: Cassandra & Original Character(s), Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel, Varian (Disney) & Original Character(s)
Series: Ivy's Tangled Adventure [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1701313
Comments: 7
Kudos: 17





	1. Saving Varian

Not for the first time that night Quirin wondered what exactly he was doing in this forest. The rational part of his mind told him that little girl was wrong, the Sundrop was gone, taken by the king to save his wife and unborn child. Just because the flower she had produced looked like the Sundrop didn’t mean that it was one. The story she had told him was fantastical, losing her dog in the woods and eventually getting lost herself, Bryone’s daughter had told him that just as it was getting dark a young woman had appeared from the depths of the wood. She had the girls dog in her arms and the beautiful Sundrop in her hair. She had helped the girl back to Old Corona, gifting her the flower before reminding her to stay out of the woods at night.

Byrone had dismissed her story as nothing more than one of her little fantasies but, she had the flower as proof. When Quirin had pressed her for more information she had revealed that there was a clearing full of the same flowers, that the nice witch must be growing them. That was the reason he was stumbling around in the dark. The possibility of another healing flower, the hope that there was something out there to save his wife, his Eleanor, and their child. The diagnosis of dowsing sickness was always a death sentence, no matter the age or health of the patient. It consumed the victim in less than twenty-four hours. Twenty-four hours before his world was shattered.

So, Quirin shoved the rational part of his mind, the voice that told him this was hopeless, deep into the recesses, where it couldn’t escape. He pressed onwards into the dark depths of the forest that many in his village said was cursed, to find a patch of flowers that may or may not exist. All he could think about was his beloved Eleanor, wasting away into nothingness. The hope of saving his family pushing him further. Spurring him forward through the dense trees and brush to the center of the forest. After pushing through the last thicket Quirin came to a sudden halt. Before him was an wide pit, too wide for him to cross, and just beyond that he could see the dull shimmer of a grove filled with flowers.

Fueled by this discovery, Quirin reached into his pack and pulled out a grappling hook. He found it surprisingly easy to cross the pit, leaving the only thing left for him to do was pick a flower. The grove was open, moonlight streaming through, filled with softly glowing flowers. Shades of blue and gold cast shadows against the trees surrounding them. Quirin kneeled down to examine the golden flowers. They looked exactly like the Sundrop he had seen those many years ago. Just as he was about to pick one a shadow fell over him.

“And what exactly do we have here?”

Quirin spun around in a mixture of fear and surprise. Standing before him was a young woman with long raven hair and piercing purple eyes. As he got to his feet Quirin realized he had to look down to properly see her. She barely cleared his shoulders, he had to stifle a laugh, she couldn’t be older than 18. She raised an eyebrow at him, clearly not amused.

“And why are you laughing?” she questioned.

“You’re not exactly what one pictures when they conjure up the image of a terrifying woods witch. You can’t even look me in the eye” Quirin replied.

The young woman flicked her wrist, vines springing up from the ground to wrap around her waist and raise her up until she was looming over Quirin. She rested her hands on her hips in annoyance.

“Now that we can see eye to eye” she sneered “Why are you trespassing in my wood?”

“I’m sorry, really I am, but my wife is pregnant with our child and she has dowsing sickness. If I don’t get one of these flowers to heal her she’ll die” Quirin explained.

“What will the flower do?” she asked, genuinely confused.

“Well, it’s a Sundrop flower. It has healing powers”

At those words the witch burst out laughing. When she saw he was serious she lowered herself down to the ground, vines returning to the soil they came from. She looked into his eyes, seeing that he was genuine in his belief, frowning.

“I’m sorry, these flowers don’t have any special powers, the only thing special about them is they don’t die once picked and they glow” she said.

Quirin’s world shattered, in an instant his hope was crushed. He collapsed into a heap in front of the witch letting out a strangled sob. The young woman rested a hand on the sobbing man’s shoulder. She bit her lip, a war raging inside of her. Finally after a tense few minutes she spoke up.

“There, there might be something I could do to help”

Quirin looked up at the woman with renewed hope. She looked conflicted, confused, like she was not sure if she should help. He gripped the woman’s hand, startling her.

“Please” he begged “I am not a rich man, I’m a simple farmer. All I have is my wife and child. I will give you anything, do anything if you would just please, help them”

She looked at him in astonishment for a moment before regaining her composure. She let out a long whistle, piercing the silence. There was a short pause before the howl of a wolf reverberated through the trees. From the darkness of the wood a wolf as white as fresh fallen snow appeared. It wound its way around the witches legs before sitting next to her. She ran a hand through it fur smiling.

“Go to your home, Snowy will accompany you, I will be there shortly” she instructed.

“How am I supposed to cross your trench?”

The witch waved her hand and a bridge of vines appeared, winding a path across the pit. Quirin nodded, wiping the tears from his eyes. He set about retracing his steps to his village, the wolf silently following in his steps.

~

As she watched the figures retreating into the dark, the witch felt conflicted. For the first time in a hundred years someone had come to her with a problem that needed to be solved. Someone needed her help. Someone had invaded her sanctuary, her safe place, and pleaded for her assistance. And here she was, once again, giving in and allowing herself to be used. Allowing someone to manipulate her with their tears and pleas. She was so weak.

Sighing, she ran a hand through her tangled hair, wondering how she always got suckered into helping. She turned and started back to her home, a gutted, ancient oak tree she had slowly converted into a home. Opening the door the fae lights came to life, illuminating the space inside. Climbing the rising staircase, the witch continued to berate herself as she made her way to her shelves of ingredients.

She pulled a worn old satchel from a chest in the corner and begin to fill it with a variety of herbs and bottles. She took a worn tome from a pedestal near her cauldron and packed it away safely. The final item she retrieved was a small dagger stored on one of the shelves. Once she was sure she had everything she needed, the witch pulled on her cloak and headed out to the village.

The walk was shorter than she remembered. Before she knew it she was leaving her wood behind and stepping into the open for the first time in hundreds of years. The world hadn’t changed at all, it was still crowded, still too loud, too busy. The witch wanted nothing more than to retreat back to the safety of her wood. But, she couldn’t, she had told that man she would help him. If she went back on her word, she would never forgive herself.

As silent as a shadow she moved through the village in search of her wolf companion. She found her curled up in front of an impressive stone home. She ruffled the wolf’s head affectionately as she made her way to the door. She knocked loudly, telling herself that this was her last chance to back out. She chastised herself for thinking that as the door opened.

Quirin ushered her inside with a grim look on his face. He led her to the master bedroom where a very pale woman lay gasping for breath. Her dark brown hair was slick with sweat, her eyes screwed shut in pain. The dowsing sickness was eating her alive. The witch could tell that, without her help, this woman and her unborn child would not survive the night. All doubts were erased from her mind at the sight of this woman and her helpless child struggling to survive.

She quickly moved to the dresser clearing a space so she could work. She unpacked what she needed, opening the tome to the spell she needed. She began to mix the ingredients together in a bowl careful to measure correctly. Quirin watched the witch go about her work as he held Eleanor’s hand. Eleanor groaned, glazed over eyes searching for her husband.

“Q-quirin?”

“Hush, my love, hush. Don’t worry, you’re going to be okay. You and our baby”

He brushed a lock of sweaty hair out of her face. She forced a weak smile, groaning in pain. The witch looked up from her work for a moment, concern painting her features. She grimaced before returning to her task. Checking her tome the witch found that she was almost done, the only thing that was left was her blood. And the incantation. She straightened up, sighing. She looked at Quirin.

“I’m almost done. But, before I continue I must warn you that a spell like this, it can have repercussions”

“I don’t care” he stated “Whatever it takes to save them. I don’t care”

The witch sighed, desperate people never wanted to listen. She produced the dagger slicing her palm open. She sprinkled her blood into the potion in a clockwise direction. She cleared her throat as she began the incantation to give the potion its power.

_“Erase all pain and ill_   
_Renew our fading light_   
_Still the hand of death_   
_And make things right_

_Take back the wrongs of fate_   
_Let life take its hold_

_Destroy thy deathly state_   
_And break the mold_

_Heal what has been hurt_  
 _Change the fates design_  
 _Save what has been lost_  
 _Bring back what was mine_ ”

As she finished the final line the potion in her hands began to glow a soft blue. Quirin’s eye widened in awe at the glowing concoction before him as he helped Eleanor up. The witch brought the potion to the sick woman’s lips. Eleanor drank the potion greedily, the color of her face improving with each sip. By the time the bowl was empty the woman looked as good as new.

Eleanor sat up in bed by herself, resting a hand on her pregnant belly. She looked around the room as if trying to remember where she was. Her eyes fell on her husband who had tears in his eyes. She threw her arms around him, crying with joy. He clung to her letting out a sob of relief. The witch watched the exchange from the background, smiling at the scene in front of her. She turned away from the intimate moment beginning to pack her things. The witch headed towards the door, intending to slip away without a word.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Quirin asked.

“My work here is done, I should return to the forest” she replied.

“You can’t leave just yet” Eleanor said “It’s too late for a young woman like you to be walking around”

The witch smiled, she heard this numerous times over the thousands of years. She lifted a hand summoning a cluster of ice shards.

“It’s alright ma’am, I can take care of myself”

“How can I ever repay you?” Quirin asked.

She thought for a moment. Mulling over all the possibilities.

“Could you try to keep people from coming into my wood. Unless it’s a dire emergency? It is my home after all. I don’t appreciate unannounced visitors”

Quirin nodded, bewildered. He was prepared to give everything to this mysterious young woman. All she wanted was to be left alone? It seemed strange to him, to want nothing but isolation. He watched as she began to leave surprised when Eleanor got up to stop her.

“Wait” she said.

She made her way to the kitchen where a plate of freshly baked cookies lay. She pulled out a napkin and wrapped a half dozen inside. She returned placing the napkin in the young woman’s hands. The witch looked shocked as Eleanor wrapped her arms around her. Her brown eyes sparkled as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind the woman’s ear.

“Thank you so much for what you’ve done for us. There is nothing in the world that we could give you that would begin to repay you for your kindness” Eleanor said, kissing her forehead.

“No, no please, it’s my job. I’m a healer, if I didn’t help…..” she trailed off not knowing what to say, or how to act.

“Still, thank you, oh dear we never asked your name did we” Eleanor gasped.

As the witch headed out the doorway she paused for a moment. She looked deep in thought, as if trying to remember something very important. Her eyes wandered around landing on the vines wrapped around her torso. She smiled before looking back at the expecting mother.

“Ivy”


	2. A Power Reveals Itself

_5 Years Later_

For the most part life had been normal after that strange night half a decade ago. Eleanor gave birth to a healthy baby boy they named Varian. He was as normal as any other child save the strange teal streak that appeared when his hair grew in. No, there was nothing at all to suggest that Varian was anything other than another child in Old Corona. He was a bit strange, yes, with his fascination in science and books but, nothing to suggest that there was anything out of the ordinary. It wasn’t until he was five that things began to change.

Eleanor was in the kitchen preparing dinner when she heard a strange noise coming from the direction of the sitting room. Moments later Varian came running into the kitchen in hysterics. He clung to his mother’s leg sputtering out apologies. Eleanor wiped her hands on a rag before bending down to pick up her son. She shushed him quietly as she wiped his tears.

“Hush, my sweet, tell mommy what’s wrong”

“I-I I don’t know what h-happened” he cried “I was pl-playing and then, whoosh”

He mimed something exploding. Eleanor shook her head fondly, leave it to her son to cause trouble without doing anything. She set him down and took his hand.

“Well, let’s go see what the damage is” she mused.

They headed towards the sitting room, Eleanor praying it wasn’t too bad, that maybe Quirin wouldn’t notice. What she expected and what she saw were two completely different things. What she had expected was a broken vase, an overturned table, maybe a splintered chair or two. What she wasn’t expecting was a mass of ice spikes clustered in the center of the room. She looked at her son dumbfounded. Varian saw the look on her face and started crying again. 

His cries shook Eleanor out of her stupor. She scooped Varian up into her arms and began rocking him. She quietly sang a lullaby to calm him down. When his sobs turned to sniffles she gently set him back down. She looked at the ice incredulously, how in the world did Varian manage this? She sat down on the couch, pulling her son into her lap.

“Varian, my love, I’m not mad. Truly I’m not, I just, how did you do this?” she asked.

“I don’t know mommy, I just kinda” 

He waved his hand and another short blast of ice erupted from his palm. Varian yelped in astonishment, clutching his hand close to his chest. His wide blue eyes looked to his mother, searching for answers but Eleanor had none. Her head was reeling at this discovery, trying to piece together how this happened. Before she could say anything, any words of comfort, the door opened and Quirin entered. He looked between his wife and child to the mass of ice dumbstruck, searching for answers Eleanor did not have.

“Wh-what is this?” he asked.

“Please don’t be mad daddy” Varian pleaded.

“It seems our son has a talent for creating ice” Eleanor stated plainly.

Again Quirin looked between his calm and collected wife, his tearful son, and the collection of ice in the room. He ran a hand through his hair letting out a slow sigh. He bent down to look his son in the eye, unshed tears glistening in his wide blue eyes. He forced a smile, trying to ease Varian’s fears. 

“Well, that’s quite a talent son. Do you have any idea how to get rid of it?” 

Varian scrunched up his face and waved his hands at the congregation of spikes in front of him. To his surprise and delight the ice dissipated into nothing. He beamed at his parents, showing off his buck teeth. Quirin ruffled his unruly hair before getting to his feet.

“Now that that has been settled how about we help your mother make dinner?”

~

Once Varian was settled in bed Quirin and Eleanor sat up trying to wrap their heads around the events of the day. Quirin was pacing back and forth in front of the bed, Eleanor quietly knitting in her rocking chair. After a few moments of this she put down her work and sighed.

“Do you want to talk about it or do you want to keep pacing?” she asked.

“What are we going to do Eleanor? Nobody can know about this, you know how the people of Old Corona feel about magic” Quirin said, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

Eleanor got up and joined her husband on the bed. She put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, trying to ease his fears. Truth be told she was worried about Varian as well. Not because of the others in their village, but because he had been so scared when he had used his power. He shouldn’t be afraid of being special, he should embrace it. 

“Well, I think the first thing we should do is try and find a way for Varian to control his powers. See if there’s someone who can help him learn about them and learn to control them”

Quirin looked at her in shock, how could she say something like that? No, nobody could know about this, they couldn’t tell anyone. Varian’s life could be in danger if anyone knew. Old Corona has always been superstitious, treating magic as some evil, cursed thing. The only time they embraced magic was when they were in dire need of a miracle, when there was nowhere else to turn. He shook his head, resolute.

“No, no I’m sorry Eleanor, we can’t let anyone know about this. He has to keep it hidden”

“You want him to grow up ashamed of himself? Afraid of the power he has?” Eleanor asked, angrily.

“What else is there to do? Ship him off to one of the other kingdoms? Hope and pray that someone, somewhere has the same power? That they know how to control it and would be willing to teach him? No, he needs to keep it hidden” Quirin ground out.

Eleanor looked at her husband in disgust, unable to believe that he felt that way. She looked at Quirin, really looked at him, and saw the truth. He wasn’t afraid for Varian, he was afraid of Varian. Afraid of something that didn’t have a rational explanation. Eleanor made a decision right then and there. She would appease him, for now, make him believe he had gotten his way. But, on her own, she would look for answers, look for help for Varian. Find a way to help him harass his powers instead of fear it. She would not have her son grow up afraid of who he was. She sighed, hating that it had to be this way, wanting to change her husband’s mind. She forced a smile, trying to make it as genuine as possible.

“You’re right dear. Finding someone who shares this power might be impossible. But, promise me that when he’s a little older we’ll let him decide what he wants to do with his power?” she asked, hopefully.

“Very well” 

“Good, let’s get some rest, honey. It’s been a long day”

~

The nest morning Eleanor waited until Quirin had left before enacting her plan. She got Varian up and bundled him up into his winter clothes. She packed them a quick lunch, making sure to pack extra snacks. She pulled on a cloak, took her son in her arms, and left the house. Varian grumbled sleepily, upset about being woken up so early. He buried his face in his mother’s neck, trying to block out the sun. Eleanor smiled fondly, an early bird her son was not.

She hurried through town, keeping her head low so as not to be recognized by anyone. She caught the carriage right before it left. The driver was kind enough to stop for them and allow them to board. She settled in the far corner of the carriage, arranging Varian in her lap without waking him. Once they left the village Eleanor took her hood off, confident she wouldn’t run into anyone that knew her in Corona. She gently ran her fingers through her sons hair planning her next move. She would try the local bookstore first, maybe the owner would be able to help. If that didn’t pan out she could always petition to get into the Royal library. King Frederick was on good terms with her husband, he would be amiable to letting her look around.

She was jolted out of her thoughts as the carriage stopped. The other passengers began to disembark but, Eleanor stayed put for the moment. She was thinking, what was she going to do if she found answers? How would she go about helping her son control his abilities? She shook her head, one step at a time, first she had to find out if there was any information of other people with this kind of ability. She shifted Varian to her hip and got out of the carriage, handing the driver a few coins for his assistance. 

Eleanor made her way down the main street of Corona searching for a sign indicating a book store. By this time Varian had started to stir due to the hustle and bustle of the town. He yawned, rubbing his eyes trying to adjust to the sunlight. He observed his surroundings with concern. He tugged on Eleanor’s sleeve.

“Mommy, where are we?”

“We’re in Corona honey, mommy has to run some errands. But, we can’t tell daddy okay?”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s a surprise. Can I count on you not to spoil it?”

He nodded vigorously, shaggy hair falling in his face. She smiled, brushing it aside, and giving him a big kiss. She set him down and took his hand leading him down the cobblestone road. It took a few minutes but, finally, Eleanor was able to locate the bookstore. The little bell tinkled pleasantly as they entered, the smell of books filling the air. She nodded to the store clerk before heading to the designated children’s section. She quickly scanned the shelves, pulling out the first one that sounded like it was related to science. She handed it to Varian settling him into the little nook. 

Once he was absorbed in the book Eleanor turned toward the shelves once more. Reading the various titles she realized she had absolutely no idea what exactly she was looking for. Sure she knew she was looking for anything that would tell her about any persons with ice abilities but she didn’t know what category that would even be under. Sighing, she headed back towards the front of the store. She needed to ask for help but was hesitant to, she didn’t know how the clerk would react to such a question. Corona was more accepting than Old Corona but, ever since the princess had be abducted things had changed. She forced a smile grabbing the clerks attention. 

“Hello, can I help you today miss?” she asked.

“Yes” Eleanor said “My son is fascinated with the idea of a person having special powers. I was wondering if there were any books that might talk about people with elemental powers?”

“Hmmm….let me think” she mused “We may have a couple texts on that subject but, I’m afraid our material on the matter is a bit thin. There might be more in the royal library, I remember seeing a rather large text mentioning all sorts of people with that type of ability. If you want I could show you what we have here and give you the necessary form to petition to get into the library”

“I would greatly appreciate it, thank you so much”

“My pleasure”

The woman lead Eleanor to a shelf in the back labelled ‘Myths and Magic’. The shelf was sparse, only six books on it, two of which were copies. She thanked the clerk, looking at the meager selection she collected the four texts. She went back to Varian who was still lost in his book, sitting down next to him. He paused for a moment, acknowledging her presence with a smile, before returning to his book. She ruffled his hair before cracking open her own book. 

With a title like ‘Encyclopedia of Magic’ it would be fair to assume one might find something about magical people. But, scanning the table of contents Eleanor found nothing that would suggest the book contained any information on the subject. In fact it seemed more to be a work of fiction than something that held any truth. Sighing, she placed it aside and picked up the next one. This one talked about a tribe of people who worshipped and co-existed with magical beings. It was said these magical beings would grant power to those they deemed worthy, which sounded promising up until the part where the tribe was located north of the kingdom of Arendelle. Thousands of miles and a sea away from Corona. 

Striking out with that one Eleanor turned toward the third. This one only contained myths, mermaids, unicorns, gorgons, and the like. Tossing that one to the side she picked up the final book. This one had promise, with a title that sounded authentic ‘The Gifts of the Celestials’ Eleanor dared to get her hopes up. Cracking it open she began to read. 

_The Celestials are the creators of everything, the beings that allowed the world to be. They live above, invisible to us, on their own plane called The River of the Heavens. For the most part the Celestials ignore us mortals, too wrapped up in their own tasks to pay attention to us. But, when we need them the most the Celestials always deliver unto us their awesome power. Thousands of years ago, during an event dubbed ‘The Battle for the Celestial Plane’ it is said that the sun did not rise, nor the moon, and the stars were blacked out in the skies._

_It is reported that sounds of a great battle could be heard constantly, the clash of steel, the orders of unseen generals, the screams of the wounded. For a century the land was dark, people lived in fear of the monsters that seem to fall from the sky. Shadowlings, is what they were dubbed, horrendous twisted creatures that sucked the life from everything they touched. These malevolent beings roamed the lands, leaving carnage in their wake, unchecked. It seemed no mortal being could rid the lands of these horrid beasts._

_Then, one night, the noises in the sky climaxed. Horrible, agonized shrieks from some inhuman beast filled the air. The ground shook from the force of the sound. Then, from the sky, which had been so long dark, a large flame streaked across the horizon and crashed to the Earth. The instant the flame landed the stars returned, the moon shining bright. It had seemed the battle was over, the Celestials had won._

_But at what cost? From the crater emerged a being clad in strange armor, wielding a flaming sword. Her hair seemed to be made of flames, her eyes made of molten gold. There was an ethereal presence about her, an aura that suggest she was not of this world. A moment later there was another great flash of light. From the sky a single streak of blue and a single streak of gold left the sky and landed on Earth. As soon as the light dissipated the Celestial fell to her knees, hair going black, blade crumbling to dust. She held no recollection of what had transpired, no idea who or where she was._

_From that moment on, until who knows when, this Celestial wandered from place to place. Searching for answers, searching for the truth. She helped many a person she came across, either healing their ills or granting them a portion of her power. She became know as a witch, one skilled in arcane arts. One who dabbled in taboo subjects. She feared this and as a result never stayed in one place for long, always moving, as if fleeing an unknown pursuer. Where she is now? No one knows. She has not been seen in my lifetime and I am unsure if she will be seen again._

Eleanor closed the book in shock, instantly being taken back to that night five years prior. The hair that seemed impossibly black, purple eyes that held untold pain. The witch, Ivy, who saved her life, who went out of her way to help. She remembered how she had asked her to stay until the morning, how it wasn’t safe outside at night. She remembered her response, summoning a cluster of ice spikes and remarking how she could take care of herself. All at once it hit her like a ton of bricks, the missing piece of the puzzle. Ivy was the source of Varian’s power, she was the key to this mystery. 

Riding the high of her discovery, Eleanor gathered up the books and replaced them on the shelves. She was already formulating a plan as she paid for Varian’s book, figuring out how she was going to sneak away to locate Ivy. She was filled with joy over the possibility of getting her son what he rightfully deserved, the help to understand and control his power instead of fear them. She was so happy she felt nothing could stand in her way. Little did Eleanor know that tragedy was just around the corner.


	3. When Tragedy Strikes

During the ride back to Old Corona snow began to fall in earnest, collecting on the ground in sheets. Eleanor pulled Varian into her lap, wrapping her cloak around the two of them to stave off the cold. She held her son close as she began formulate a way to get out of the house that night without Quirin knowing. The carriage came to a sudden halt, taking Eleanor out of her thoughts. She gathered up Varian in her arms and made her way back home, trudging through the accumulating snow. She pushed open the door with her hip intending to start a fire as soon as she could. 

  
Surprisingly a fire was already roaring when they got inside. Quirin was sitting in an armchair, reading a book. He looked up at her as they entered, setting the book aside. He took Varian from her, placing him on his shoulders, and gave her a loving kiss.

“There you two are. I was wondering where you got off to” he said.

“I figured I’d take Varian on a little trip into Corona to get a new book. He seems to be flying through all the ones we have here”

“Really now? Did you have fun son?”

“Yeah daddy, mommy let me get a book on elemental physiology” Varian said, excitedly.

“Wow, that’s a mouthful. How did you get so smart?” Quirin joked.

“It certainly wasn’t from me” Eleanor supplied, laughing “I should get dinner started, don’t want you two to starve now do we?”

She set her bag down and headed into the kitchen. As she busied herself preparing dinner Eleanor enjoyed listening to Varian read his book to his father. She smiled, overjoyed at how the day had gone. As dinner was finishing up she looked out the window at the falling snow with an overwhelming happiness bubbling within her. It felt that nothing could ruin this moment. Little did she know disaster was closer than she realized.

~

Once she was sure Quirin was asleep Eleanor slipped out of bed. She changed into some warm travelling clothes, being sure to be as quiet as possible. The last thing she needed was her husband waking up, she’d have a helluva time explaining what she was doing to him. Mindful of the squeaky floorboards she snuck down the stairs and collected her cloak. She went down into the basement and used that door to make her way outside.

There was a thick blanket of snow on the ground, more flakes lazily falling from the starless sky. Eleanor trudged through the snow trying to make her way to the forbidden forest. The cold bit into her through the layers of her clothing, the wind whipping around her. She shivered violently, pulling her cloak tighter around her. The snow began to fall faster and heavier culminating in a fierce snowstorm. Eleanor couldn’t see more than a couple of inches in front of her. 

After a few minutes of struggling to make her way through the horrendous gale she saw the outline of trees. Sighing in relief she headed for them, rubbing her hands together in a futile attempt for warmth. Slowly but surely the forest began to materialize in front of her. Eleanor leaned against one of the great oaks panting heavily. The cold had begun to seep into her bones, causing her body to feel like it was made of lead. Her eyelids felt heavy, as if she hadn’t slept in days. Pushing herself off the tree seemed to take every ounce of energy she had.

Stumbling a little Eleanor blindly headed into the forest, the wind howling in her ears. Each step took more effort than it should, the wind nearly knocking her over with each new gust. The light sprinkling of snow had turned into a horrific snowstorm. By the time Eleanor realized that she needed to turn around and head home she was lost. She was surrounded by barely visible trees each as indistinguishable as the last. 

After what felt like hours of trying to find her way out Eleanor fell to her knees, unable to go on. The cold had left her body, leaving her completely numb. Vaguely she was aware that she was dying, hypothermia taking its hold. She lay back against a tree, looking up into the sky above. A single star shone brightly through the chaos around her. Eleanor smiled weakly, the feeble light giving her comfort in this horrible moment. She closed her eyes, accepting that this was the end. One word slipped from her blue lips before Eleanor’s heart stopped completely.

“Varian”

~

Quirin was awakened suddenly by the sound of Varian screaming. He jumped out of bed and ran to his room in a panic. The young boy was sitting up in bed, clutching the stuffed toy Eleanor had made him for dear life. His eyes were filled with tears, chest heaving in terror. He locked eyes with Quirin and a shiver ran down the man’s spine.

_He knows something I don't._

The thought raced across his mind upon seeing his son’s face. He immediately went to him, scooping his tiny form up in his arms, and cradled him close.

“What’s wrong son?”

“Mommy, mommy’s gone” he said through sobs.

Quirin’s heart skipped a beat, where was Eleanor? Usually when Varian had a nightmare she was the first one in his room. Shushing him gently with tender words and kisses. But, tonight she was no where to be found. Trying his hardest not to let his fear show Quirin took his son into the sitting room. He forced a smile as he stoked the fire back to life.

“I’m sure she’s here somewhere. Why don’t you stay here where it’s warm while I go look for her?”

Varian nodded, black curls bouncing against his cheeks. Quirin kissed his head before moving back to his bed. Eleanor’s side of the bed was neat, as if she slipped out the moment he had fallen asleep. He went to their closet and saw her nightgown crumpled on the floor. A quick assessment of garments inside told Quirin her travelling clothes and boots were gone. Next he checked the coat rack in the kitchen, finding Eleanor’s cloak was also missing. The door to the basement was slightly ajar and, descending into the basement, the final piece of the puzzle was found. The basement door that lead to the backyard was unlocked. Eleanor never left a door unlocked in their home, she said it was bad luck. 

All signs pointed to Eleanor sneaking out while her family slept. The question was why? What was so important that she risked getting caught in a snowstorm? Quirin made his way back to the sitting room where Varian was curled up on the couch watching the fire crackle. He had been right, his mother was gone. 

_But, how did he know?_

Quirin shook his head clear, ignoring the thoughts running through his head. He had to find the words to break it to his son that his mother was gone. That, by the looks of the weather outside, she was never coming back. Sighing, he sat down next to Varian, taking him in his arms once more. He rocked him gently for a moment, gathering himself, pushing his grief back for the time being. He would need to confirm this in the morning. Maybe get a few of the other men in the village to help him search.

“Varian, son?”

“Mommy’s gone isn’t she?” he asked sadly.

“I’m not sure son. She seems to have gone somewhere. Maybe she was able to get some shelter before the storm got too bad-”

“No, daddy, mommy’s gone. She was so cold and tired. She saw a star before she went to sleep. But, she’s gone” Varian cried.

After the words left his mouth the boy broke out into a fresh round of sobs. His little body shook violently as he let his grief out. Quirin couldn’t say anything, he was too stunned. Varian knew, he knew what had happened to Eleanor. He had somehow seen her final moments in his dreams. He looked at his son in astonishment, unable to comprehend what was happening. He held his son tight in his arms, trying to figure out how they were going to move on. Trying to figure out his feelings, about his wife’s death, his sons seemingly impossible knowledge. 

Varian had long worn himself out when Quirin came back to his senses. The little boy was fast asleep in his arms, his grief wearing him out. He carried his son back to his bed, tucking him in tightly. He looked at his sleeping son once more before closing the door. He was sure of one thing at least, Varian had strange powers. Not just his ability to manipulate ice, no, he had some queer ability Quirin couldn’t quite comprehend. There was one thing Quirin was sure of though. 

He was afraid of his son.

~

After Eleanor’s untimely passing things just seemed to get worse. Varian’s tenuous control of his powers spiraled out of hand. Everyday for almost a year Quirin would come home to find columns of ice or layers of snow covering the entirety of Varian’s room. No matter how hard he tried the young boy could not control his outbursts. It seemed that once his emotions started to sour the ice and snow appeared.

Quirin couldn’t handle it, each day as Varian had a new outburst it became harder and harder to keep his son’s abilities a secret. He had taken to keeping him inside, only letting him out on a few small occasions. For Varian this wasn’t too much of a problem. He was introverted by nature, preferring his books to making friends. He enjoyed not being forced to make awkward small talk with the other children in the village.

But, even with Varian contained in their home there was always the risk of someone seeing the results of his tantrums through the window. Every time it happened Quirin would sit Varian down for a stern talking to. He would tell him how he had to control these powers. That it wasn’t safe for him to use them, that people wouldn’t understand, they would hurt him. 

His attempts to stifle his son’s powers lead to Varian fearing them. He did not understand them, he did not understand why he had them. At only six years old he was terrified for his life. He was convinced that his powers were a curse, something that he should fear. His fear lead to more and more outbursts, an endless cruel cycle that left lingering psychological damage. 

One day Quirin came home to the usual menagerie of ice and snow. Sighing he made his way to his son’s room. Varian was curled up in his bed sobbing. Quirin watched the young boy cry numbly. A part of him, the paternal part, wanted to comfort him but he didn’t. Quirin was afraid of Varian’s powers yes, but really he was angry at him. Angry at the fact that the cryptic mystery of his powers is what killed his wife. 

He sat down on the bed finally, avoiding the sharp icicles that were sprouting from the comforter. He placed a hand on his son’s shoulder, a pathetic attempt to comfort him. Varian’s sobs stifled at the feeling of his father’s presence. He turned around, wrapping his tiny arms around his father.

“Do, do you hate me daddy?”

The question broke him from his anger. It broke his heart. Here was his son, the last piece of his beloved Eleanor he had, asking him if he hated him. No, no Quirin did not hate his son. He feared his power and was angry that it was the reason that Eleanor was no longer with them. But, he did not hate Varian. He took his son in his arms, holding him close.

“No, Varian, no I don’t hate you. Why would you think that?”

“I-I’m the reason mommy’s dead” he wailed.

Quirin was in shock at the statement. He had always assumed that the reason Eleanor had gone out that fateful night was to find an answer to their son’s powers. This was the first time Varian had admitted it. He rubbed his back, attempting to soothe his fears. All around them more ice began to form. 

“Why do you say that son?”

“Because she was trying to find answers. She wouldn’t tell me much. She said it was a surprise for you. But, I saw the books she was reading. They all had to do with magic.”

The ice crackled all around them, icicles lengthening. Quirin pulled Varian back, looking into his tear filled eyes. The cold was starting to get to him.

“Son, it’s okay. I need you to calm down okay? Breathe, in and out. That’s it”

As Varian took several deep breaths the ice around them began to dissipate. He kept his eyes closed, listening to his father’s soothing voice. When he was finally calm enough to continue he opened his eyes to find his father looking at him, eyes filled with concern.

“Feel better?”

“Yes daddy”

“Then listen to me. Your mother’s death was not your fault. You didn’t ask for this power. But, you have to learn how to control it. I got you something that might help.”

He produced from his coat a pair of thick leather gloves. Varian took them wide eyed. Quirin helped him put them on. Varian admired the look and feeling.

“These gloves will help you control your power. It will help you conceal it. Understand?”

“Yes daddy”

“Just remember it gets worse when you get upset. You need to try not to let your emotions get the best of you”

“Okay daddy”

“That’s my boy. What do you say we go get some dinner at the café in town?”

“Really daddy?”

“Yeah, I’ll let you order whatever you want”

“Okay”

The boy bounced up and down in excitement. Not a single flake of snow appeared. Quirin smiled. It seemed the gloves were working already.

~

Over the next nine years Varian became used to feel of his gloves. They became a second skin, a layer of protection from the secret he so feared. When he was ten he discovered alchemy and threw himself into it fully. It distracted him from reality. Helped him cope with his fears and anguish. He devoted all his time into his experiments, forgetting the outside world entirely. 

On the outside it seemed that he had adjusted. Learned to suppress his powers, keep it in. But, on the inside Varian was suffering. He was plagued by guilt and fear. He was afraid of his powers, afraid he could hurt someone on accident. He still harbored feelings of guilt towards his mother’s death. As he grew up he began to understand that his father blamed him for her death. He still loved him but he blamed him for it. 

Most of the time he was able to control it. The urge to just scream and cry and let it all out. The urge to get let it all go and release the dam of emotions. Most of the time. But, sometimes, whether it was an experiment that went horribly awry or seeing the look of disappointment in his father’s eye Varian couldn’t hold it in. 

On those occasions Varian would slink into his basement lab. He would curl up under his work bench and let the flood of emotions out. On those occasions, when his son’s cries could be heard from the sitting room, Quirin would go into the basement to check on him. There he would find ice spiking out in all directions, snowflakes suspended in midair. His son under the bench, the epicenter of it all. On those occasions Quirin would quietly close the door and leave the house to busy himself with something else. 

On those occasions, Varian was alone.


	4. Rapunzel Meets the Woods Witch

_Present Day_

“Raps what are you doing?” Casandra asked.

“Nothing, absolutely nothing, why would you think I was doing anything?” Rapunzel asked, hastily.

Cassandra raised an eyebrow. The blonde haired princess was acting incredibly shady. She had noticed her sneaking around the castle, hiding things. At this very moment she was attempting to hide a large book behind her back. 

“Rrriigghhhhttt” Cassandra said “You do know you’re a horrible liar right?”

Rapunzel sighed, showing Cassandra the book. It was an ancient text, possibly written before Corona even existed. Cassandra took it from her hands and quickly realized it was a text from the Royal Vaults. She pulled Rapunzel into a nearby room in a panic.

“Raps what is this?” she hissed.

“It’s a book written by an ancient traveler. It details all sorts of crazy things he saw during his travels”

“Yes, but this is from the Royal Vaults. Do you realize how much trouble you could get in if your father finds out about this?”

“Which is why he’s not going to find out” Rapunzel replied.

She looked at Cassandra with a stern expression. Cass sighed, realizing that there was no way to change the stubborn princess’s mind. She was just going to have to roll with whatever it was she was planning and make sure she didn’t hurt herself in the process. 

“What do you need it for?” she finally asked.

“Look here” she said, opening it to a specific chapter “He talks about a mysterious woods witch that lives in the woods near Corona. It talks about how she’s like this powerful mystic who knows just about everything. She’s supposedly been around for thousands of years”

“And where are you going with this?” 

“Remember that dark and foreboding woods that was in Old Corona near Varian’s house?” 

“Yeah, so?”

“I think that it’s the same woods that the author was talking about. Look”

She pulled out a map and compared it to the crudely drawn map in the book. The location in which the author put the witch’s wood did seem to line up with the woods in Old Corona perfectly. Cass sighed once more, it looked like she wasn’t going to have a relaxing day after all. She took the book from Rapunzel’s hands and scanned through the chapter she mentioned. It did seem like a promising venture. Since Varian hadn’t been able to decipher the mystery of her hair maybe this witch could offer them a new insight.

“Okay, we’ll go but, first you need to put this back. We can’t afford getting caught with it” Cass said.

“Deal. I’ll make sure it gets back to the vaults. We’ll meet in the courtyard after lunch?”

“Sounds good. And please, don’t tell Eugene. The last thing we need is him saying the wrong thing and getting us all cursed” 

“I’ll try. I can’t make any promises”

~

Just after noon Cass and Rapunzel were riding their horses into Old Corona. They both wore riding cloaks pulled up to hide their faces. It’s not that either would get into trouble if they were found they just preferred for this to stay between them. Once they got close to the outskirts of the wood they dismounted. Rapunzel looked around, making sure there was no one nearby. 

“Princess?” 

The small voice startled the two women. They whipped around, finding Varian sitting under a large willow tree looking forlorn. 

“Varian? What are you doing here?” Rapunzel asked.

“I like to sit here sometimes when I’m not feeling so great. It’s peaceful. What are you doing here?” he countered.

“We were just in the area and thought we’d go for a walk in the woods” 

“You really shouldn’t. My dad says these woods are off limits. No on is supposed to go in them” Varian said “See?”

He pointed to a hand painted sign not too far from where they were standing. It read; _Entrance is strictly prohibited_. 

“Well, we need to go in there” Rapunzel finally admitted.

“Raps, don’t” Cass hissed.

“Why do you need to go in there?” he asked.

“Raps” 

“Oh, come on Cass, it’s Varian, he’s not gonna tell anybody, right?”

“No, no, of course not princess” he said quickly.

“There’s a witch that lives in these woods. I was hoping maybe she could help me with my hair” Rapunzel said.

“C-can I come?” Varian asked, shyly.

“I thought you didn’t believe in magic?” Cass scoffed.

Varian hung his head, seemingly ashamed. He turned around and headed back towards his house. Rapunzel looked at his retreating figure feeling her heart break. He was a sweet kid, he had tried his hardest to help her figure out her perplexing mystery. She didn’t see any harm in letting him tag along with them.

“Varian, wait” she called.

He turned around looking at her hopefully.

“You can come with us if you really want to” Rapunzel said “I don’t see anything wrong with you coming along”

Cassandra rolled her eyes, typical Rapunzel. She was always picking up strays, it seemed like she attracted them actually. Cass was wary of the young alchemist, the last time they saw him an experiment of his had nearly killed them all. She had every right to be suspicious of him. He looked harmless but looks can be deceiving. 

“Y-you mean it?” 

“Of course”

The young teen bounded back towards them happily. He was excited, since his experiment blew up he been severely depressed. The whole town was sour towards him, glaring at him or whispering to each other as he passed by. He had tried to stay locked up in his lab, to forget his latest mistake, but his father had insisted he help rebuild what he had destroyed. Everyday since he was awoken at first light and went from house to house making repairs. 

Today was the first day he had to himself. He had spent it under the willow tree just outside the forbidden wood. It always made him feel safe, protected, like nothing could hurt him here. Upon seeing Rapunzel and Cassandra he felt the first spark of happiness since that day. Hearing the princess wanting him to tag along on their adventure overjoyed him. It’s the first time someone expressed the desire to spend time with him. 

“Come on kid we don’t want anyone to catch us” Cass said.

He happily followed the princess and her protector into the depths of the woods. It was dark, the sun unable to pierce through the dense foliage. Varian pulled a vial out of his apron and shook it, illuminating the path in front of them. He smiled eagerly at the two women, buck teeth on full display. Rapunzel smiled back, she liked Varian, he was like a little puppy always trying to please. 

They made their way through the woods carefully and quietly. Occasionally they would hear a distant snap of a branch or rustling of leaves. Cassandra kept a hand on the hilt of her blade, prepared to attack if necessary. After about an hour of walking they spotted a soft glow ahead in the distance. Varian led them towards the source, not watching where he was going. 

“Are you sure that the witch lives here?” he asked “It looks like we just walked in a huge circle-”

The young alchemist was cut short as he walked straight into an open pit. Spikes materialized into his view. Varian screwed his eyes shut preparing for his imminent death. When nothing happened he opened his eyes. He was inches away from the spikes.

“Varian, are you okay?” Rapunzel asked.

“Y-yeah, I-I think so. Thanks for catching me” 

“That wasn’t me” the princess admitted. 

He looked up, seeing both Rapunzel and Cassandra staring at him from the edge of the pit. He looked at his waist seeing a thick vine wrapped around him. His momentum suddenly changed, the vine pulling him up out of the pit and on to the other side. Once he was safe on the ground the vine unwrapped itself from him and disappeared into the ground.

“You should really watch where you’re going”

Varian turned around and was shocked at the young woman in front of him. Her piercing purple eyes gave him a once over. After seemingly determining him to not be a threat she smiled, holding out a hand. Varian chuckled awkwardly and accepted her help off the ground. Once on his feet, he scratched the back of his neck smiling like a weirdo. The woman pushed a piece of choppy black hair behind her ear before turning to the others. 

“To what do I owe a visit from the Princess of Corona?” she asked.

“You know who I am?” Rapunzel asked.

“Of course, the whispers of the woods tell me many things”

“Okay” Rapunzel said, slightly put off.

“You never answered my question. Why are you in my wood?” the witch repeated.

“Well, you see, I was wondering if you could help me. I’m looking for answers about my hair” 

“Your. Hair?” the witch asked confused.

“It’s a long story” Rapunzel admitted.

Sighing the witch waved her hand, a bridge of vines curling across the expanse of the pit. She gestured for them to follow her. They followed her through the woods, bypassing the grove of glowing flowers. She lead them to a massive oak, small orbs of light floating around its branches. She opened the door disappearing inside. The three companions all looked at each other in confusion.   
Varian was the first to follow the witch, enchanted by it all. Inside was breathtaking, an entire house carved out of the inside of the tree. Platforms jutted out above their heads with spiral stairs leading to each one, the same orbs from outside illuminating the impressive dwelling. The witch was already in the kitchen area busying herself with making tea. 

She absentmindedly waved her hand, vines sprouting up and forming into chairs. The outsiders took their seats taking in their surroundings. It was exactly what one would picture as the home of a woods witch. They sat in silence, none of them knowing what to do or say. Rapunzel, as usual, was the one to break the silence.

“So, what’s your name?” she asked.

The woman turned back to her in astonishment. The question seemed to throw her off. As if it wasn’t one she heard often.

“Ivy” she replied “And yours?”

“I’m Rapunzel, these are my friends Cassandra and Varian. It’s nice to meet you”

Ivy looked shocked at the statement. As if it wasn’t something she never heard before. She brought over the tea, setting it on a table nearby. She sat in a newly conjured vine chair composing herself.

“So, why don’t you explain to me exactly what your problem with your hair is” Ivy said.

Rapunzel launched into her long tale, starting with the Sundrop flower. She explained how her hair had once had healing powers but once it had been cut it lost its power. She told Ivy all about how she felt trapped in the castle and all she had wanted was an adventure, to journey out past the walls of Corona. How Cass had snuck her out one night and showed her these mysterious black rocks that had cropped up where the flower had been found. 

That once she had touched them her 70 feet of blonde hair grew back in an instant. That its healing power was gone and in its place it became indestructible. That it seemed to sense when she was in danger and it would wrap itself around her and others to protect them from harm. Ivy sat in silence the entire time, absorbing the information as it came. When Rapunzel was finished she set her cup back on the table letting out a long breath.

“Well, that is certainly something” she said.

She got up from her chair and headed up the stairs to the second level. They could hear her rummaging around, looking for something. After a few minutes she reappeared balancing a few large, weathered tomes. She struggled to keep them all in her arms, Varian quickly jumped up to help her. He took a couple from her alleviating some of the strain. She smiled gratefully at him, setting the rest of them on the table in front of them. She opened one and began to scan its pages. 

“I’ve never heard of this before. There is documentation of strange lights falling from the sky when a Celestial had been forced from the Plane. This could be the origin of what you call ‘the Sundrop Flower’. Some documents say the lights are the tears of the Celestials, mourning the loss of one of their own. Others say the lights are the concentrated power of a Celestial and the Darkness they tried so hard to defeat. Others, of course, say that these lights are merely a coincidence and that nothing came of them” Ivy stated, cycling through the different tomes “There is more evidence that something did in fact come of this. Hmmmm…..this text seems to be faded. That’s strange” 

She peered quizzically at the book in front of her. Varian looked over her shoulder at the text. It wasn’t in English so it was mostly nonsense to him. The illustrations however spoke volumes, detailing out a horrific battle, the fall of a god, a drop of moonlight and a drop of sunlight. He studied the drawing of the fallen Celestial. She was donned in armor, fiery red hair streaming down her back. She was leaning against her sword, blood seeping from unseen wounds. She seemed familiar somehow. 

He suddenly felt eyes on him. Looking up he met Ivy’s eyes, she was staring at him with a look of confusion. Varian was the first to break eye contact, feeling small under her gaze. The whole exchange happened in seconds but, to Varian it felt longer. Ivy closed the book acting as if nothing had transpired, turning to Rapunzel.

“It doesn’t seem like I have the answers you wanted. The only thing that I can think of is these strange lights. If something did come of them then the artifacts would not only be incredibly powerful but also polar opposites. Light and dark if you will. Maybe, and I’m just speculating here, this flower that saved your mother was the ‘light’ portion. You must have absorbed the power, essentially making you the new source of ‘light’. These rocks may have had a reaction to you because they have a connection to the ‘dark’ portion of those lights” Ivy said “There are a few more texts I could try to locate that may be of more use but, I can’t promise anything”

Rapunzel’s shoulders sagged at her words. Another dead end, nothing to definitively tell her what was going on. Only a bunch of speculation, more questions than answers. She noticed that everyone was staring at her, waiting for her to speak. She forced a smile, 90% sure it looked genuine.

“Okay, I understand, thank you for all of your help and insight. I really appreciate it” 

“I’m sorry I could not have been more help” Ivy said, seeming upset.

“No, no you did what you could. Really, I’m grateful” Rapunzel said.

“Yeah” Varian chimed in “You didn’t have to help us at all”

Ivy smiled, unsure of how to react to their displays of kindness. She felt tears welling up behind her eyes, which she rapidly blinked away. She stood, intending to show them out but was stunned when Rapunzel hugged her. She froze, completely shocked at the action. After a moment she hugged the princess back.

“Thank you again” Rapunzel repeated “We should probably get going, I have no idea how long we’ve been gone and I wouldn’t want the entirety of the guard to descend on your home. But, please, feel free to visit the castle whenever you want” 

Ivy watched in a stunned silence as the three strangers showed themselves out. She blinked stupidly not being able to comprehend what just happened. It wasn’t until the door shut that she snapped out of her daze. She shook her head, at a complete loss. She half believed that she was actually asleep, that all of this was just some weird dream. How else could she explain a barefoot princess, an angry guardian, and a boy with a strange aura about him. 

Ivy couldn’t explain it but, she had felt drawn to the boy. As if she knew him, that she had known him her entire life. Which was, of course, ridiculous, he looked no more than 15. But, still there was something about him. When they had made eye contact, she felt something she really couldn’t explain. A sort of spark that reignited a fire inside that she hadn’t felt for centuries. A spark that made her want to actually take up the princess on her offer to visit. The mystery she had brought to her doorstep intrigued her. 

For the first time in a long time Ivy felt like she was wanted. That she belonged. It was strange and scary, exhilarating and terrifying. Curiosity was getting the better of her, overriding all the precautions she had set up over the millennia. For the first time, in a long time, Ivy was going to be an active participant in history. She had no idea the ride she was in for but, she was optimistic about the future.   
  



	5. The Challenge of the Brave

Ivy frowned, reading over the flyer again, _Challenge of the Brave: Come cheer on the best of the best as warriors from all Seven Kingdoms come together in this competition to see who is the fiercest of them all and walk away with the coveted Champions’ Trophy._ Rapunzel had come by a few days ago to drop off the flyer asking her to come spectate. She told her that Cassandra was participating and wanted all hands on deck to cheer her on. Ivy wasn’t so sure, she hadn’t been in a large crowd in a long, _long_ time. She had mentioned this to the princess hoping she would get out of it but, one look at her pleading face had her agreeing to go.

Now here she was, making her way through the bustling streets of Corona doing her best to ignore the stares and control her rising anxiety. It’s like she could hear the whispers, the horrible things people were saying about her behind her back. Ivy ducked down an alleyway, leaning against a crate to catch her breath. From the shadows Snowy materialized, nuzzling her hand. She gave her a grateful smile, feeling some of the tension lift, and gazed around for something to focus on. Her eyes fell on a bulletin board featuring a menagerie of wanted posters.

She looked at each one, memorizing the different faces. Once she felt grounded she headed out of the alley, following the crowd to the challenge grounds. As she made her way through the people and tents Ivy spotted someone out of the corner of her eye she thought looked familiar. Focusing in on the person she saw it was one of the criminals from the wanted posters. Flynn Ryder if she remembered the name correctly. He seemed to be sneaking up on Rapunzel. Panic rose in her throat at the thought of Rapunzel getting hurt.

She didn’t think, just reacted. Vines wrapped around the rogue’s legs, hoisting him upside down into the air. He let out a loud yelp, startling Rapunzel. She looked shocked, head whipping left and right trying to discern where the threat was coming from. Her eyes landed on Ivy and she let out an exasperated sigh.

“Ivy, what are you doing?” she asked.

Ivy was confused, she didn’t understand why Rapunzel was asking her that. He was a criminal, a lawbreaker, shouldn’t she be happy?

“Wha-what do you mean? He’s, he’s a criminal. I saw the wanted posters”

“Oh, come on, they _still_ have those things hanging up?” Ryder exclaimed.

“It’s okay Ivy. Eugene isn’t like that anymore. He’s okay, he’s my boyfriend”

Ivy looked at her confused, boyfriend, Eugene, this was all so confusing. She retracted the vines, sending Eugene crashing to the ground. He got to his feet, rubbing his sore head. Ivy gave him another once over deciding, yeah she didn’t trust this man. He had a presence about him that just screamed womanizer. That he had left a lot of broken hearts in his wake. There was a glint in his eye that suggested his life of crime wasn’t as far behind him as Rapunzel wanted to think.

“Eugene, this is Ivy, she’s the woods witch I was telling you about”

“Ah, yes, the creepy woman who lives in a tree surrounded by a trench of spikes” Eugene said sarcastically “And apparently has a big menacing wolf too”

He shot a worried glance at Snowy who was still in a defensive position, teeth bared. Ivy felt suddenly very self conscious. Is that what people really thought of her? A creepy woman who lived in a tree? She shuffled uncomfortably, putting her hand on Snowy’s head, simultaneously to calm herself and let the wolf know there was no danger.

“Eugene be nice, Ivy tried to help me, she’s a friend” Rapunzel said “She came to cheer on Cassandra with us”

She gave Ivy a comforting smile, helping to ease the young woman’s tension. Eugene let out a huff, reluctantly accepting that this witch was going to become part of their inner circle. When Rapunzel set her mind on something she was not easily swayed. She seemed to attract weird and unusual people. First it was the pub thugs, then Cassandra, a kid who had a penchant for blowing things up, and now a frightening witch who was covered in vines. He couldn’t entirely blame her, being trapped in a tower in isolation for 18 years could lead you to make questionable friends once you gained your freedom.

He just had to roll with the punches with this one. He loved her, she was his everything, he could deal with a few colorful characters for her. He plastered a smile on his face, wanting to seem warm and friendly. Judging by the reaction of the stranger in front of him it did not work. Rapunzel clapped her hands together with glee, oblivious to the fact that both parties were uncomfortable.

“Yay, now that that’s settled let’s go cheer on Cass!”

~

Cassandra sat on a bench in the challengers area sharpening her sword. She was trying to calm her frayed nerves. Rapunzel had come by to wish her luck and had made a complete and utter fool of her. It made her so mad, that she was so oblivious to what this meant to her and how her actions affected how people saw her. It was so frustrating, how she seemed to be unable to comprehend her behavior.

She focused on her sword, attempting to relieve some of the tension she felt. In her periphery she saw a flash of golden hair. Cass snapped up, hyper focusing on the person. It was a woman, she couldn’t see her face as it was obscured by a fox mask, but she could see her long golden blonde hair done up in a braid. Cass groaned, it was Rapunzel, she was in a ridiculous disguise to try and fool her. What was she thinking? She approached the woman seething with rage.

“Raps what the hell do you think you’re doing?” she growled.

“Excuse me?” the woman asked, confused.

“You heard me, what are you doing? I told you that you couldn’t compete. Can you for once not mess things up for me?” Cass hissed.

“I’m sorry I think you have me confused for someone else” the woman replied.

“Yeah, right, you can’t fool me that easily Raps. Fine, if this is how you wanna be I’m _not_ going easy on you”

Cass turned on her heels leaving the woman bewildered. She couldn’t believe it, the first time she had a chance to prove she was more than just the princess’s handmaiden and Rapunzel wanted to come in and ruin it. It infuriated her to no end how she couldn’t see how much this meant to her. She was going to win this thing, if it was the last thing she did. Cass had to prove herself, even if it cost her her friendship with Rapunzel.

The announcer was calling all competitors to the arena. Cass steadied herself, preparing for the competition, blocking out everything else. She locked all her feelings in a box, burying it deep inside her heart, steeling herself to do what she needed to do to win.

~

Their seats were high enough in the stands that they could see the whole arena. Rapunzel was excited to see her best friend dominate the competition. She knew Cassandra could take on anything this challenge threw at her. As for her she wasn’t too sure she could handle the tension between Eugene and Ivy. She had thought it would be a good idea to invite the witch to come today. Give her a chance to get to know her and have her get to know them.

That is not what was happening. She and Eugene had already gotten off on the wrong foot and it didn’t seem like they were going to be getting along anytime soon. She could feel the glares coming from either side of her, as if they were trying to bore holes into each other. Rapunzel couldn’t help but feel a little responsible for the tension. She hadn’t exactly told Ivy anything about Eugene so it was a bit fair that she was suspicious of him for his past. But, she had explained everything to her, how he had changed.

It didn’t seem to resonate with her judging by the icy chill Rapunzel felt to her right. It seemed Ivy’s emotions were getting a little out of control, changing the climate around them. She couldn’t take it, she needed a break. She clapped her hands together causing Ivy and Eugene to jump a little.

“Well, I am hungry! Is anyone else hungry? Pascal? Let’s go get snacks!”

“That’s sounds like a great idea Blondie I’ll come with you” Eugene started.

“No! No, no stay here, enjoy the games I’ll be back before you know it”

They watched as Rapunzel practically sprinted down the stairs towards the concessions. Eugene shifted uncomfortably, he didn’t want to be alone with the ice queen. She kept throwing him dirty looks.

“Okay” he said, finally “What is your problem?”

“You’re my problem” she stated coldly.

“And what have I done to you? Nothing! We just met this morning when you assaulted me!”

“It’s not what you’ve done to me, it’s what you are inevitably going to do to Rapunzel”

“I’m sorry” Eugene said, confused.

“I know your type, the suave, smooth talking playboy. You charm a girl and throw her away when you get bored. You don’t care who you hurt as long as you’re having fun. I won’t let you hurt Rapunzel like that” Ivy sneered.

“Is that what you think? Wow way to jump to conclusions before even getting to know a guy Icy” he snorted.

“Yes, that is what I think. And it’s Ivy”

“Well for your information _Icy_ my life of crime is over. I love Rapunzel and would do anything for her. The last thing I would do is hurt her”

“Once a thief always a thief”

“I’m done with this conversation” he said, getting up “I’m going to find Rapunzel”

He headed towards the concession stand, fuming. How dare this woman make assumptions without even trying to get to know him? It was infuriating, at least Cassandra wasn’t genuine in her hate, it was more of a sibling rivalry thing. Ivy though, she seemed to loathe him based on nothing more than an old wanted poster. It mad him so angry that he didn’t think he could enjoy the games with her around. He spotted Rapunzel’s golden hair near the front of the line. He joined her shooting the people behind them an apologetic look.

“Eugene, what are you doing here?” she asked.

“I couldn’t stand another minute with Icy up there. I’ll tell you Sunshine you picked a real charmer here. She seems to be under the impression that I’m just a playboy out to break your heart” he huffed.

“Oh dear, I honestly didn’t think this would happen. She seemed so nice to Cass and Varian. I never imagined that she wouldn’t like you. I’m sorry. I’ll try to talk to her after the games”

“I don’t know if it’ll help but if anyone can bring someone around it’s you Blondie” he smiled.

~

Cass stood next to the other contestants glaring at the woman in the fox mask. She was fuming, one hundred percent convinced that it was Rapunzel behind the mask. It aggravated her that her best friend would do this to her. She shook her head clear, she needed to focus. The announcer called her name, she was the first one up. There was no way she was going to let Rapunzel ruin this for her.

Letting out a long breath Cass easily made her way across the row of swinging hammers. She reveled in the cheers of the crowd, enjoying her moment in the spotlight. It was short lived as Rapunzel was up next, the announcer introducing her as Amber. Cass scoffed, leave it to Raps to pick a ridiculous name as a pseudonym. She watched, thoroughly annoyed, as she made her way across utilizing ballet moves.

“Nice moves Raps” she sneered.

“Thank you but again I think you have me confused with someone else” she replied.

“You’re really committed to this act aren’t you? Doesn’t matter, I’m going to win this thing. So stay out of my way”

“I plan on winning this myself so watch your back” she said, coldly.

She angrily strode past Cass who was taken aback. She sounded seriously mad, like Cass had offended her. There was a pang of guilt in her chest, Raps was her best friend. Was the competition really worth her friendship? She shook her head, no, she couldn’t worry about that right now. She’d win the competition first then apologize, better to ask for forgiveness than permission or whatever.

As she progressed through each stage of the competition she found it harder and harder to keep her cool. Rapunzel was steadily beating her, much to Cass’ surprise. She was passing each stage with ease, putting barely any effort into each one. That really pissed Cass off, seeing her friend breeze through something that was genuinely challenging to her. By the time the Dead Man’s Circle came around Cass was out for blood.

She stood across the circle from Rapunzel, glaring at her with seething rage. This was it, the last hurdle, the only thing standing between her and respect was a few thugs. Cass cracked her neck, she was going to win this, she was going to do whatever it took. When the bell rang she lunged towards the weapons hellbent on finally putting an end to Rapunzel’s little game. As the chaos unfolded around her Cass only had one goal. Get Rapunzel out of the ring, now she’d deal with everyone else later.

She spotted her in the center of the ring, a pole held tightly in her grasp. Cass grabbed her own knocking Hook Foot out of the ring as she did. She snuck up behind Rapunzel intending to knock her feet out from under her. As she brought the pole down there was a resounding crack. She had blocked her strike. There was a cocky smirk on her face that just fanned the flames of Cass’ anger.

Growling in frustration she began to rain a flurry of blows on the woman. She dodged each one nimbly, bringing her pole down to block each strike. Neither woman realized they were the only two competitors in the ring, hyper focused on the woman in front of them. Finally, _finally_ Cass was able to disarm her, her pole flying out of the ring. She lifted her foot planting a solid kick on the woman’s stomach, sending her flying out of the ring, mask falling off in the process.

Cass stood, panting, unable to believe she had won. She picked up the mask, barely hearing the announcer. She had won, she had beaten Rapunzel, feeling the announcer hold up her arm and the crowd roaring, she savored the moment. She turned towards Rapunzel, already formulating a slew of apologies in her mind. She let out surprised gasp, the woman in front of her wasn’t Rapunzel. Not by a long shot.

The mask had obscured her deep amber eyes, sharp cheekbones, and crooked nose. Cass felt herself break out in a blush, partially because of the mix-up, partially because she was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. She raised an eyebrow, holding out a hand. Cass sheepishly handed her the mask, feeling her embarrassment grow by the second.

“Hehe, so I guess you really aren’t Rapunzel” she said.

“What was your first clue?” she asked, taking the mask from her hand.

“Sorry, I messed up big time”

“No need to apologize, that was the first good fight I’ve had in ages. You’ve got on helluva spark in you”

“Uh, thanks. Wha-what’s your name?” Cass asked.

“Amber. And you are?”

“CASS!”

Both women whipped around to find Rapunzel barreling towards them Ivy and Eugene in tow. The princess threw her arms around her best friend squealing with glee.

“You won! I knew you could do it I’m so proud of you”

“Thanks Raps” Cass chuckled.

“Who’s this?” she asked.

“Amber”

She held out a hand which Rapunzel shook fervently. Cass shot her an apologetic smile as Rapunzel began to ramble. Eugene was the first to realize what was going on.

“Hey, Blondie why don’t we leave Cass alone for a little while? She probably needs some time to decompress”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“You know, unwind from the fight. It’s warrior stuff we should let her rest, don’t want her breaking on us”

“O-okay”

He steered Rapunzel away from the group, winking at Cass as he did so. Ivy rolled her eyes and followed them, seemingly annoyed by Eugene’s very existence. Cass let out a snort, she could relate. Once they were gone she turned back to Amber, only now realizing that the arena was nearly empty.

“So, do you live around here?” she asked.

“No, I’m originally Oshirland but I travel all over the Seven Kingdoms”

“Oshirland? Isn’t that the kingdom that’s entirely in the trees?”

“Well, yes and no” Amber replied, the two of them starting off towards town “A large portion of people tend to make their homes in the trees but, there are plenty of people who live on the ground. We’re mainly a kingdom of rangers and druids. We worship nature and protect the earth around us”

“Wow, what made you want to leave?”

“Truthfully? It was incredibly boring, I didn’t believe as strongly as the others. So, I decided to go out on my own and see what there was to see before settling down somewhere”

“Well, Corona is a beautiful place to live” Cass said.

“Really? Well, then why don’t you show me around. Maybe buy me a drink?” Amber said, obviously flirting.

Cass stopped in her tracks, unable to comprehend what she had just heard. Was this really happening? This gorgeous woman was flirting with her? Cass stood there dumbly, blinking at Amber like she was some foreign being. Amber mistook her silence.

“I’m so sorry” she said, hurriedly “I just assumed. I thought you were. Oh my stars I’m so sorry. I’ll go”

Cass shook herself out of her stupor. She grabbed Amber’s hand, stopping her retreat. She shot her a shy smile.

“I’d love to buy you a drink”


	6. Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning there is a brief scene of abuse and some suicidal thoughts.

Varian stared, misty eyed, out the window at the rain falling in sheets. Today had been way worse than he expected. With all the damage from his latest failure cleaned up he had assumed he was off the hook. He had asked his dad if he could go watch the Challenge of the Brave with Rapunzel. He had been shut down immediately, told he was grounded and not allowed out for another two weeks. His father had somehow found out that he had gone into the woods and was furious. He had yelled at Varian for the better part of an hour, making the young alchemist feel even lower than he had already felt. 

“But dad-” 

“No, I don’t want to hear any of your excuses! Every time Varian!” 

“But dad-” 

“I said be quiet!” 

“NO!” Varian yelled, stomping his foot in anger. 

Ice spikes erupted from the ground, stopping just short of his father. Varian let out an undignified squeak. He dared to look at his father’s face, finding a mix of fear and anger. Varian shrank into the corner shaking, knowing exactly what was about to happen. It had happened before, when he lost his temper. 

“I-I’m so-sorry daddy. I’m sorry” he sobbed. 

He tensed, preparing for the inevitable quivering harder and harder with each step his dad took. He looked up at him, hoping and praying that this time would be different. His fist connected just below Varian’s left eye sending the young teen sprawling. He curled up into himself, grasping his face and sobbed harder. He was wrenched from the ground by the collar of his shirt. Tears flowed down his cheeks as he met his father’s rage filled glare. 

“I’m sorry daddy” Varian cried again “I’m so sorry” 

His father dragged him through the house to his bedroom, carelessly tossing him in. Varian lay on the floor, tears flowing down his cheeks as his father slammed the door. Seconds later he heard the telltale click of the lock. 

“You’re going to stay in your room for the rest of the night, no dinner. We’ll discuss this in the morning” Quirin said, coldly. 

Varian stayed on the floor for a good fifteen minutes just crying. Why did he always do this? Why was he such a disappointment? Why was he still here? Nobody wanted him anyway. He hugged himself tightly, trying to push those negative thoughts out. He had gone down that road too many times in the past. He pulled himself onto his bed and gazed out the window. He watched the rain pool into little puddles on the windowsill. He wondered if maybe it would be better if he just disappeared. If his father would be happier if he was gone. He pulled out a faded photo of him and his family. He sobbed at the sight of his mother and how happy they all looked. 

It was his fault that their happy family was destroyed. His fault that his father was a shell of his former self, unhappy and ashamed of his son. Varian wiped his eyes, his decision made he got off the bed and started to pack his backpack. He threw in a mish mash of clothing, his journal, and his book on elemental physiology, the last thing his mother ever gave him. He grabbed his small pocket knife and jimmied open the window. With barely a second thought he slipped out of his house and out of his fathers’ life. 

~ 

Ivy wandered through the wood, relishing in the gentle showers that had been happening on and off throughout the day. These were the days she loved the most, when it was silent except for the pattering of the rain. The way the trees looked covered in rain, the feel of the wet soil beneath her with the promise of new life to come. It helped her make sense of this world and why she was in it. It was peaceful, a huge contrast to the chaos that she had witnessed today. 

She shivered at the thought, all those people squeezed together in the rickety stands. All the screaming and cheering as people below them beat each other senseless. It had been appalling, she couldn’t believe that Rapunzel actually wanted to partake in that pastime. She couldn’t have gotten out of there fast enough, especially after having to deal with that Eugene character for most of the day. 

That was all over now, now she was back in her safe space. Back where things were simple and made sense. Back where she felt at peace. She was snapped out of that sense of tranquility by the sound of muffled crying. She focused back in to the here and now and realized that she was almost at the edge of her wood. She looked around, trying to locate the source of the sound. Underneath the willow tree that stood at the very edge of the wood she saw a small, hunched figure at it’s base. 

Ivy cautiously approached, not wanting to startle the person but also not wanting them to know she was there just yet. She had to properly gauge the situation before she decided whether or not to help. As she got closer she noticed a few familiar things, black gloves wrapped around shaking limbs, a patched teal shirt that was soaked through with rain, black hair with a strange blue streak flattened in the downpour. 

“Varian?” she asked. 

His head shot up, a brief look of terror flashed across his face. When he saw who it was he visibly relaxed. Ivy sat down next to him, not knowing what to say or do. This wasn’t her area of expertise, she didn’t deal with emotions, she simply locked them away. Unhealthy, yes but, a necessary evil in her long existence. She especially didn’t know how to deal with emotions relating to the teen beside her. 

Ever since their first meeting Ivy had become overwhelmed with complex and confusing emotions regarding Varian. She couldn’t explain or put into words how she actually felt about him. Attraction was the closest she could find but, that was ridiculous she couldn’t be attracted to him. Could she? 

“H-hey Ivy. What are you doing out here?” he asked. 

“I could ask you the same thing” she shot back. 

Varian ducked his head again, stifling another cry. Ivy sighed, she was incredibly bad at this, she couldn’t even deal with her own emotions. How was she supposed to deal with someone else’s? Hesitantly, she put her arm around his shoulder and pulled him closer to her. He responded immediately, burying his head into her shoulder and wrapping his arms around her waist. He let out a long, plaintive cry, his sobs renewed. Ivy froze feeling her heart skip a beat, this was uncharted territory. She had never had anyone come to her for comfort, she had never received comfort, so she had no idea how to react. 

So, she relied on what felt right, pulling him closer and carding her fingers through his hair. She would be patient, wait for him to wear himself out before trying to get any answers out of him. They sat there for the better part of an hour, the moon high in the sky, by the time Varian had worn himself out. She looked at him, sure he had fallen asleep, and found him staring at her. She quickly looked away, feeling her face flush. 

“Feel better?” she asked. 

“Kind of” he hiccupped. 

“How about we go back to my house? We’ll get dried off and warmed up then you can tell me why you’re out here in the rain” 

She stood up, stretching for a moment, before extending a hand out to him. Varian looked up at her, wiping his eyes, and took it. He followed behind her, clinging to her hand like a lifeline. His head was reeling, replaying the events that led him here. How he had managed to injure himself climbing out the window, running blindly in the direction of the woods, collapsing in a heap at the base of the willow, unable to go any further, his knees aching from his fall. 

Ivy finding him in his pathetic state, comforting him despite the fact he didn’t deserve it. Now he was trailing behind her like a lost puppy, allowing her to lead him anywhere. He felt safe, secure, protected, loved, all the things he had been longing for the past ten years. It was strange, he barely knew this woman, for all he knew she could be leading him to his death. Yet, she had his complete trust. As they walked across the vine bridge Varian found himself wondering what this all meant. 

Once again the inside of her home filled him with a sense of wonder and awe. It had a sense of whimsy, a total disconnect from the rest of the world. This was a safe place, a place where he could do or say anything without fear of judgement. He allowed Ivy to sit him down on the couch, letting her wrap a thick blanket around his shoulders. It wasn’t until that moment he realized how cold he was. It was weird, Varian _never_ got cold, but here he was, teeth chattering and shivers wracking his body. 

Ivy must have noticed because the next thing he knew she was pressing a warm glass of coco into his hands. He took a sip relishing in the warmth that spread throughout his body. She then moved to the scrapes on his knees, spreading a green salve on the cuts before wrapping them in bandages. Ivy sat next to him, wrapped in her own blanket, watching him. He smiled at her, silently thanking her for everything she had done. For some reason she didn’t want to meet his eye, instead looking at the backpack on his back. 

“What’s that for?” she finally asked. 

Varian blushed suddenly embarrassed. 

“I-I ran away from home” he admitted. 

“Why?” 

Varian clutched the mug tighter, all the memories flooding back at once. How he had lost his temper, his dad hitting him, being locked in his room. He began shaking again, anxiety wracking his frame. Ivy sensed his unease and set her mug down, rubbing his shoulders gently. 

“I-I messed up Ivy, I always mess up. I can’t do anything right, no matter how hard I try, no matter what I do I always cause problems. I destroy everything I touch. I can’t do anything right. I’m a mistake, I shouldn’t be here. It should’ve been me who died not my mom” he cried. 

He was sobbing so hard he began to hyperventilate. His vision began to blur, the cup slipping from his hands. The world seemed to be closing in on him, his chest constricting, making breathing impossible. He vaguely could hear Ivy talking to him, trying to calm him. He tried to focus on her voice, to try and remember how to breathe. He could feel her rubbing circles in his back. 

“Varian, please, you need to calm down. Breathe” 

Varian listened, sucking in much needed oxygen. He focused solely on her voice, latching onto it like a lifeline. He blindly grabbed for her hand, squeezing it so hard he thought he would break something. She stayed right there, allowing him to hold on for dear life, weathering this storm with him. 

“That’s it, keep breathing. In and out. In and out” 

Ivy exaggerated her breathing, making sure he was copying her. He did as he was told, breathed in and out, following Ivy’s lead. They sat there for a long moment, Varian allowing his breathing to even out. Ivy sat by him the entire time still rubbing circles in his back. Finally he wore himself out, collapsing into the couch. Ivy got up and retrieved a washcloth and a glass of water. She sat back down, handing off the water, before wiping the sweat from his forehead. 

“Thank you” Varian whispered, wiped out “That hasn’t happened in a long time. I’m sorry” 

“Don’t be” Ivy said, waving him off “It happens to everyone. You don’t need to be embarrassed” 

He gave her a grateful smile, draining the glass quickly. 

“So, want to talk about it?” she finally asked. 

Varian hid his face, picking at the blanket, trying to avoid the subject. He was afraid that he might lose it again. Or that she might see him for the monster he truly was. He shook his head pulling the blanket over his head. Ivy pulled it back down, annoyed that he was trying to hide from this. 

_You’re one to talk. You can barely look him in the eye._

She shook her head clear, ignoring the voice that chastised her from time to time. 

“Varian you need to talk about. You won’t start feeling better until you do” 

“I-I don’t want you to think I’m a monster” he mumbled. 

“I’m a nearly four thousand year old witch with magic powers who lives in a giant tree and has a wolf as a pet. I can guarantee there is nothing you can tell me that would make me think you are a monster” Ivy stated. 

“You promise you won’t hate me?” 

“I promise” 

Varian let out a long breath, steeling himself for what he was about to do. He was petrified, uncertain whether or not to actually reveal his secret. Slowly he went to take off his gloves for the first time in his life. Trembling he took a deep breath, leaning forward and touching the table in front of him. 

In an instant ice sprouted, spreading over the table until it was completely frozen. He jerked his hand back immediately pulling his gloves back on. He couldn’t bear to look at Ivy, sure that she was going to freak out any moment. For several long minutes he sat there staring at his hands feeling his heart beat in his throat. He dared to glance in her direction finding her looking at him intently. She didn’t look angry or scared, instead she had a soft smile on her face. 

She took his hands in hers, forcing him to look up at her. She held up her own hand summoning a small flurry of snowflakes. Varian stared at her in wide-eyed amazement, unable to believe what he was seeing. 

“How?” 

“Fifteen years ago a man came into my woods, desperate for anything that would help his sick wife and unborn child. He promised me anything I wanted if I saved them. I went to his house, saw the dire state the two were in, so I did what I had to do. I made a special potion for her, containing my blood, that saved her and the child. But, the potion would have side effects. My blood contains my power, using my blood to save her transferred a part of my power. Not to her, it seems, but apparently to you” she said, still holding his hands “It was you and your mother I saved. I’m the reason you have this power.” 

Varian looked at her incredulously. She was the source of his mysterious power. She was the reason he was like this. 

“C-can you take it back? Make it go away?” 

“Why would you want it to go away?” 

“B-because all I do is destroy things. I can’t control it. I-I just make things worse” Varian cried. 

“That’s because it’s tied to your emotions. The more afraid of it you are, the more you fear it, the more unpredictable it will be. It’s not inherently dangerous, it is your fear that causes it to be destructive. I can show you how to control it, to harness it instead of fear it” Ivy replied calmly. 

“M-my dad said I have to hide it, that people wouldn’t understand” 

“It’s true that people fear what they don’t understand but that doesn’t mean that _you_ should be afraid of it. The more you try to deny the power inside of you the more it will manifest in a negative sense. I can help you see that it isn’t destructive or harmful but beautiful and fun” she stated, plainly. 

“I-I don’t know” 

She could see the fear in his eyes, knew he felt the same fear she did when she first realized her power. It had taken her thousands of years to fully harness and control it. She had made many mistakes during that time, causing her to be run out of many towns. She didn’t want Varian to live his life like that, always worried that someone was going to hurt him. She had to think of a way to show him the upside to this ability. 

An idea crossed her mind, causing a smile to creep onto her face. She pulled Varian to his feet startling him. She still had his hands entwined with hers and she took advantage of that fact and pulled off his gloves. He let out a surprised cry instinctively trying to grab them back. Ivy easily dodged him, putting distance between them. 

“Gi-give them back Ivy” 

“No, I’m going to show you that this isn’t a curse” 

“Please just give them-” 

He was cutoff by a snowball hitting him square in the face. He blinked stupidly at the witch who was tossing another snowball in the air. 

“Wha-” 

Another snowball hit him in the face again. He wiped the snow off his face trying to move only to find that he was stuck in place by some of Ivy’s vines. 

“Ivy stop-” 

_Splat._

“I mean it” 

_Splat._

“Stop!” 

“Make me” she said, shrugging. 

She summoned another snowball, preparing to throw another one at him. Varian couldn’t take it, it was humiliating. He tapped into the power he had long buried away and allowed himself to actually use it. He threw his own snowball hitting her square in the face. She dropped hers in shock, the snow slowly slipping off her face. The sight had Varian doubled over in laughter. 

Ivy watched him laugh, feeling her heart swelling in her chest. He sounded so carefree and happy, a huge contrast to a few moments ago. She smiled, readying another snowball. She would erase his fear and doubts one snowball at a time. 

~ 

The sun was just starting to rise when the two finally collapsed in exhaustion, giggling like idiots. They had spent the rest of the night having a snowball fight, making snowmen, and acting like children. Varian found himself stifling a yawn, not realizing until just now how tired he was. He looked at Ivy who was holding back a yawn as well, she caught his eye smiling at him. She stood up stretching, before extending a hand to help him up. She caught his chin suddenly, looking at his eye. 

“Did I do that?” she asked, concern laced in her voice. 

His hand flew up to his face, feeling the sting of a black eye. He had totally forgotten his dad had hit him, the bruise must have formed while he was having fun with Ivy. He averted his eyes, ashamed to admit what had happened. 

“Uh, no, this happened earlier. I, uh, ran into a tree?” he said, lying through his teeth. 

Ivy gave him a look that conveyed she didn’t believe him for one second. He bit his lip, not wanting to tell her the truth but, knowing he had to. 

“My, my dad. I, I lost my temper. I almost hurt him, with my power. He, he was scared, he hit me” Varian said, shuffling his feet. 

“He did what?!?” she exclaimed. 

Varian flinched, taking an involuntary step back. Ivy’s face softened immediately. She had to control her anger, she didn’t want him to think she was mad at him. But, how could his father do that? It infuriated her to no end, taking out your fear of the unknown on an innocent kid. The man she had met all those years ago wouldn’t dream of raising a hand to his son. 

_That was before his wife died. People do crazy things in the throes of grief._

It was that voice again, the one that was hers but not quite hers at the same time. She shook it away, focusing on Varian. He was unsteady on his feet, consciousness clearly slipping away. She smiled again at the sight of him trying to fight off sleep. 

“You’re exhausted, how about we get some sleep? We can talk later” 

Varian didn’t have the strength to protest. After everything that had happened today, the emotional rollercoaster he had been on, left him utterly spent. He weakly nodded, letting her maneuver him onto the couch. When she went to get the blanket Varian refused to let her hand go. 

“Stay with me?” he asked, blearily. 

“Of course” 

She pulled the blanket over him, resting his head in her lap. She carded her fingers through his hair, humming softly. Varian’s eyes fluttered closed, falling asleep to the pleasant sound of her singing. 

~ 

When dawn broke Quirin had awoken overwhelmed with guilt, like every other time this had happened. He had overreacted, again, at his son’s power. He had hit him and locked him in his room. Taken out his fear on his son, who had by all accounts did nothing wrong. He had just been so upset that Varian had disobeyed him, the woods were off limits, he had told him hundreds of times. 

Now he was feeling horrible for the way he had treated him. He had gone into Varian’s room with every intention of apologizing to him. But, when he had unlocked the door he found an empty room and an open window. Panic seized his heart at the sight, thousands of scenarios running through his head. He ran outside to inspect the window closer. He saw knife marks on the frame, although they seemed to be on the inside. The rocks and dirt underneath the window were disturbed. 

He was getting ready to get a search party together when a flicker of movement caught his eye. From the edge of the wood he saw two figures heading in his direction. As they got closer he made out it was Varian and the witch from all those years ago. He let out a cry of relief, running to his son and embracing him. Varian froze in shock, not exactly sure how to react. 

“Varian, what happened? Are you okay?” he asked, worriedly. 

He pulled his son back to give him a once over, another pang of guilt stabbing at his heart at the sight of his blackened eye. Other than that he seemed to be okay, aside from the terror in his eyes. He was going to have to find a way to make it up to him. 

_Like all the other times._

“H-hi dad” Varian whispered. 

“Varian, where have you been? Do you know how worried I’ve been?” 

“I-I’m sorry” 

He averted his eyes, knowing he had disappointed his father yet again. He felt Ivy place a hand on his shoulder, pulling him away from his father and back to her side. Her entire body was taut, as if preparing to fight at any moment. He shouldn’t have told her what his father had done, she looked like she wanted to rip his head off. 

“Varian was with me” she said, icily “I quite enjoy his company, he’s an extremely intelligent, unique person. I would like to spend more time with him in the future” 

From her pocket she produced a pendant, shaped like a firebird, on a leather cord. She placed in Varian’s hands, giving him a reassuring smile. He smiled back at her thankful for what she was trying to do. He looked at his dad who was staring at Ivy in astonishment. She gave Varian a brief hug before heading back towards the woods. 

“Feel free to visit again soon, that pendant will allow you to come and go as you please without any problems” she said, winking at him “Don’t be a stranger” 


	7. A Snapshot of the Past: The Celestial War

_All around her were injured soldiers, moaning and crying out for help. She felt tears sting her eyes at the sounds of their plight. She was a healer, her job was to ensure her people were safe and healthy. But now she felt useless. No matter how many wounds she healed, how many people she helped, there were always more. Ever since the Darkness had declared war on the Celestials it had been a never ending slew of injured soldiers. Where once her clinic had only seen a few people a week, with minor injuries related to their day to day jobs, now she couldn’t keep count of the wounded she had seen._

_She wasn’t made for this, for war. She was made to heal, to help. But, as the Darkness’s forces began to gain ground, she was taught to fight. To harass the power that was buried within her. To learn and control a new power entirely. It was too much, she didn’t think she could handle it all. As she worked, trying to block out the sounds of pain and suffering, she wondered, would ever end?_

_Suddenly the blaring sound of the warning alarm echoed throughout the clinic, signaling an oncoming assault. Sighing, she stood up, cleaning the blood from her hands, and made her way to the armory. Serafina was already there, donning her armor with a solemn look. She reluctantly pulled a suit off the wall and began to put it on. Serafina looked at her, as if sensing her doubt and fear._

“ _My child do not worry. We will not let them win”_

“ _I am not made for this sort of thing Serafina. I do not have the abilities needed for fighting” she said._

“ _My child you can not think that way. You are incredibly powerful, I have seen it. The fire burning within you. That is why I granted you my power. You are so much stronger than you know” Serafina said, caressing her face._

_She closed her eyes, relishing in the feeling, the moment of calm. It was over too soon as Serafina returned to her task, taking up her mace and heading towards the front lines. She finished donning her armor and summoned her sword following her mentor into the fray._

_~_

_The sounds and sights of battle surrounded her, engulfing her, threatening to overwhelm her. All around her she saw her people falling left and right. Terror was beginning to take its hold, seeping into her bones. The Darkness and its army were gaining ground, slowly but surely making its way to the city. If they were to break through their defenses, able to breach the city walls, then it was over. They would lose and the worlds would be consumed by evil._

_She couldn’t let that happen, she couldn’t let the innocent people below suffer because of their mistakes. Seeing her people being mercilessly slaughtered ignited a fire she didn’t know she had. It invigorated her, giving her a second wind, to continue fighting despite the overwhelming odds. It allowed her to ignore her growing collection of injuries, the pain of a broken wing, the deep wound in her stomach. Her sword in hand, she made her way through hordes of shadowlings, slaying any who crossed her path. She harnessed the power Serafina had given her, used what she had been taught to try and turn the tide._

_Just as things were beginning to look up, that the victory was close at hand, the sky darkened further. The battlefield seemed to fall into complete silence, signaling the approach of the Darkness. The shadowlings made horrendous screeching sounds as they returned to their masters’ side. Jeering at the Celestials as they regrouped for another attack. She looked around the battlefield, seeing their numbers were dwindling, only a few warriors still able to stand. Serafina herself was relying heavily on her weapon to stand._

_This was it, they were going to lose, the Darkness would overtake them and everything would be lost. She readied herself, accepting that her death was close at hand, but damn sure she was going down fighting. She would take as many of them with her, try to hold them back long enough for the city to evacuate. They could stand to lose her, she was just one of many healers, but they couldn’t afford to lose the Council. Without them there was no hope._

_She looked towards Serafina, silently communicating what she intended to do. The older woman nodded, understanding that this was their last stand, their last chance to save their people and the world. Behind her the war horns sounded, signaling their final stand. The Darkness roared, enraged at the show of defiance, sending forth his army. They met them head on, determined to take down as many as they could before they were killed._

_They fought hard, shadowlings falling left and right. She saw a glimmer of hope once more. And then the Darkness was upon her. Claws slashing at her as she parried with her sword, blocking with her shield. It’s roar was deafening, leaving her ears ringing. The ground shook beneath them, seemingly collapsing in, falling away. She continued to fight, to hold her own against the Darkness. The ground continued to shift, she lost her footing a couple of times, nearly catching her downfall. A tremendous boom resonated throughout the battle field as the ground finally gave way._

_She was falling, falling from the Plane, falling away from the battle. She was still entangled in a heated battle with the Darkness. The wind whipped around them as she dealt a deadly strike on the vile creature. It’s screams of anguish ringing in her ears as she continued to fall, the Darkness careening away. The ground materialized into view, a cold unforgiving earth, coming faster and faster until…….._

Ivy shot up in bed, hair plastered to her forehead, chest heaving. It felt as if the walls were closing in on her, the room seeming smaller and smaller by the second. She grasped her chest, trying to remember the proper way to breathe. A small whine came from her left, her wolf companion had come to see what was causing her friend such anxiety. She nudged her head under Ivy’s arm, distracting the woman from whatever was plaguing her mind.

Ivy smiled, grateful for what her friend was doing. She pet the wolf’s silky fur slowly coming down from her attack. Only when she was calm did Snowy move aside. Ivy lay down once more, exhausted, unable to clearly remember what the dream was about. All she could ever remember was this horrid sensation of falling and a deep feeling of dread before she woke up. Anxiety attacks always followed, sometimes lasting the rest of the night.

_Again with that dream. What in the world could it mean?_

She shook the thought out of her head and settled back into bed, so exhausted she fell asleep instantly, with not a single dream for the rest of the night.


	8. A Talking To

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Anxiety attack

Eugene made his way  through  the  winding hallways of the palace whistling quietly to himself. He was feeling quite content with himself,  he had reconciled  with not only the Queen but his best friend , stolen from the Baron,  and in the end helped the orphanage he grew up in.  He had every right to be happy and didn’t think anything was going to be able darken his mood.  That is until he rounded the corner to the courtyard and found himself face to face with a rather  rattled looking Ivy.

He jumped back in surprise, letting out a small scream.  He quickly recovered, trying to cover up his scream with a cough. It didn’t look like the witch bought it, although he couldn’t really tell seeing as most of her face was covered by her mess o f black hair.  Taking  a good look at her Eugene realized she looked terrible, nothing like the  put together  girl he had seen a few days ago. 

No, in fact if it weren’t for the purple eyes and the  seemingly ever present scowl on her face he wouldn’t believe it was the same  perso n.  Her hair was a disaster, sticking up in all  directions ,  she had dark circles under her eyes, and her clothes  were incredibly  wrinkled, as if she had slept in them.  All and all a stark contrast to  her normal appearance.  It was a little jarring seeing her in this state.

“Hey Ivy what are you doing here?” he asked, tentatively.

“I , I wanted to talk to Rapunzel. Is she around?” 

Her reply came slowly, as if she was trying to figure out what she was doing there herself. It really unsettled him,  she seemed completely out of it . Looking at her now he didn’t see the powerful and frightening witch he had met at the arena but, a scared, lost teenager who  was just looking for a friend.  Despite how horrible she had treated him Eugene wanted to help her, get her out of whatever funk was  plaguing her. 

“No, unfortunately she has a  ton of stuff to do today. I haven’t seen her since breakfast this morning” 

Her shoulders sagged, visibly disappointed.

“Oh, okay. I’ll just go then”

She turned to leave looking incredibly forlorn and confused. Eugene bit his lip, on the one hand he wanted to help her, figure out what was wrong and try to  fix it. On the other hand he really liked having all his limbs in the correct places. He let out a frustrated sigh before setting his hand on her shoulder, halting her  departure. 

“Don’t go, maybe I could help you with whatever it is that’s bothering you” he said “I know you don’t like me or trust me  but, believe it or not I am  considered a really good listener” 

He gave her a soft smile,  squeezing her shoulder reassuringly.  She blinked stupidly at him, trying to comprehend  his words. He could tell the exact moment they registered in her mind because her eyes welled up with tears and her breath caught in her throat.  He was caught off guard when she threw herself into his arms sobbing violently.  He stumbled slightly under her weight, a little unsure  of where to go from here.  He guided her to  a bench in the garden pulling out a  handkerchief,  and handed it to her .

She took it with a grateful smile, wiping her eyes.  They sat in silence for a beat, Eugene giving her time to compose herself.  He got the feeling that Ivy was the kind of person who had to seem put together at all times, like she knew exactly what she was doing.  It was a defense mechanism, a wall to keep people from seeing the real her. Same with the way she had lashed out at him the first time they met , building walls to block out others.  He was all too familiar with that sort of thing. 

“I-” she started “I don’t even know exactly what I’m doing here. I just, I don’t want to be alone right  now”

“Did something happen?”

“No, well, yes but,  I don’t know” she sighed finally.

“Why don’t you start from the beginning?  What initially got you to come out of your hidey hole?” he joked.

“ Well, it might seem kind of silly and childish but, lately I’ve been feeling things” she shrugged, rubbing her arm unconsciously. 

“Can you elaborate on these feelings? In case you didn’t know there are a wide arrange of them not just  snarky and icy”

She shot him a glare  letting him know his joke sucked.  He sighed, h e dealt with serious issues with humor. Humor was going to be  not only useless but potentially detrimental . Ivy could shut down if she believed he was making fun of her. He scrubbed his hand down his face wondering, once again, why he was doing this , she didn’t even like him.

_ Because you know exactly what she’s going through. She is you,  _ _ and the right thing for you to do  _ _ is try and help her _ _ , get through to her and help her learn how to trust. _

“Sorry” he said “I’m not good at dealing with these kinds of serious situations. I default to humor because  seriousness, it makes me really uncomfortable.  But, you need someone to listen to you, to try and help you make sense of whatever it is that is bothering you .  I’m here to  do that, to try to give you some input that may help you  understand  exactly what’s going on and what you’re feeling”

He gave her a reassuring smile, trying to let her know that he wasn’t going to laugh at her or tell her she’s nuts.  She gave him a weak one back and relaxed a little, a small step but, it was a step in the right direction. He cleared his throat , angling  himself so he was completely facing her .

“Alright, tell me everything”

“Okay,  so, for the past couple of weeks I’ve been having these strange feelings. They’re really hard to explain , my stomach drops, my heart races,  my palms get all sweaty, and I can’t focus on anything” she said “An-and I can’t sleep I just toss and turn all night and if I do manage to  fall asleep I have these horrible nightmares”

“About what?”

“I-I don’t know. It’s like I forget it the moment I wake up.  All that I can remember is this  intense feeling of terror and the sensation of falling . I-it’s horrible, like I’m falling and it, it’ll never stop and there, there is something falling with me. Something so horrendous and evil that it, it makes  makes me sick”

Ivy  sat there, staring at her hands, shaking like a leaf. With each word she ground out it became harder and harder for her to breathe. The world seemed to be closing in as she explained  the  dread she felt during and after these nightmares , the edges of her vision going black.  Bile rose in her throat at the thought of that  thing waiting in the dark as she fell.  Like one day it was going to reach out from her dreams and  kill her.  A flash of crimson red eyes engulfed  her vision  sending her spiraling further.

Eugene could see all the classic signs of a panic attack. The mere mention of this nightmare seemed to send the girl spiraling into an intense  anxiety attack. He slid off the bench, kneeling in front of Ivy, and took her hands.  He forced her chin up, making her look him in the eye. Her eyes were wild, the purple of them almost completely  overwhelmed by her pupils.  He snapped his fingers, bringing her attention to him.

“Hey, hey, Ivy, look at me, look at me okay? I need you to tell me five things you can see okay?”

“ Wha -what?” she choked.

“Tell me five things you can se e” he repeated patiently.

“Uh, y-you, flowers, a, a guard,  the  pavilion , and the Corona banner” 

“Okay, great now four things you can hear” 

“Uh, you, the wind, a bird, and  a dog”

“You’re doing great, now three things  you can feel” 

“Your hands, the wind, and the bench”

“Perfect, two things you can smell”

“Your cologne and the flowers”

“And one thing you can taste”

“The strawberries I had for breakfast”

“Excellent, feel a bit better?” Eugene asked.

Ivy blinked at him for a moment before realizing that, yeah, she did feel better. He had somehow manage to  refocus her attention and talk her down from her attack. She looked at him confused, he had helped her in a moment of  vulnerability even when she was a bitch to him a few days before. He was smiling softly at her , waiting patiently for her to continue. She felt a pang in her chest, maybe she was wrong about him. 

She pulled her hands away, embarrassed, and ran her fingers through her hair.  They were still shaking but, she didn’t feel like  the world was closing in on her anymore.  She  hesitantly smiled back at him, feeling ashamed for her previous  assumptions. 

“Thank you” she whispered.

“It’s no problem. I know how bad those things can feel. That little trick helped me get out of more than my fair share of panic attacks. It was my friend, Lance, that taught me that”

“You, you got panic attacks?” she asked, skeptically.

“Still do.  My life hasn’t always been easy street. Before I met Blondie  I did a lot of bad things and had a lot of bad people chasing after me . It was kind of a breeding ground for anxiety” he shrugged.

“I’m sorry”

“Eh, don’t be, not your fault”

“No, I mean, sorry about, you know, judging you before getting to know yo u”

“Oh,  it’s okay. If I was in your shoes I probably wouldn’t trust me either”

Eugene tried to wave it off, play it like  her comments hadn’t affected him at all. But, with what happened with Lance recently had him replaying those words over and over again in his head. What if he couldn’t change? What if he no matter how hard he tried he was always going to be a disappointment?  Hearing her apologizing helped lift a weight off his shoulders he didn’t know he was carrying. He got up and dusted off his pants before sitting back down next to her.

“Okay, now that that is settled let’s get back to the reason you came here in the first place . What you were describing, and don’t hit me, sounds like you have a crush on someone”

“What?” 

“A crush, you like someone , got those butterflies in your stomach, can’t look them in the eye, that sort of thing” he said “So, spill who is it?”

“I-I don’t know. Are, are you sure?” 

“Definitely, I feel like that all the time around Rapunzel. Is it Cass?” 

“What? No,  that’s ridiculous”

“You’re right, I don’t think anybody in their right mind would like Cass . Is it Rapunzel?”

“No, she’s, she’s my friend I don’t think of her that way”

“Well that’s good, I don’t want to try and compete with an all powerful witch. Is it me?” he asked, coyly.

“Don’t make me hit you”

“Okay, okay, well who else do you know? ”

He thought about it for a long moment before a realization  dawned on him. A huge smile spread across his face making Ivy a little uneasy. 

“What? Why are you smiling at me like that?”

“I know who it is”

“Eugene what are you talking about ? You lost me”

“I know who you like”

“Who?”

“Varian”

The alchemist’s name hit her like a ton of bricks.  It was like the final piece of a puzzle clicked into place. How these feelings didn’t start until they first met, how she  couldn’t stand seeing him upset. The inability  to maintain eye contact with him. Her desire to see him again. She was reeling, not able to properly process how she felt about the situation. She shook her head vehemently. 

“No, no that’s not right. He’s a kid”

“So are you?” Eugene said.

“No, I’m not. I’m, I’m almost 4,000 years old.  I saw  this kingdom rise. I saw the fall of  Saporia . This, this can’t be right”

She gripped her head in distress, she couldn’t be in love. Love was for humans, for people who were able to grow old and die together. Not for  witches who were seemingly immortal.  There had to be another explanation, another reason she had gravitated towards the teen.  She racked her brain for a moment before landing on what must be the answer.

“No, no I  am  _ not _ attracted to Varian. I, I know what it is”

“Oh, really? Then please, by all means, enlighten me  as to what it is that you are attracted to ”

“Well, see the thing is, he kind of wanted to keep it a secret. He’s  scared of it”

“I think you’re just trying to make excuses”

“No, really, he was terrified to tell me”

“ All I hear are excuses”

“Fine” she finally snapped “ When Varian’s mother was pregnant she got really sick, like really sick, she almost died. His father came to me asking for help. So, I did and some of my power transferred to Varian.  _ That _ is what I’m attracted to, the piece of my power that’s inside of him”

Eugene smiled at her sadly, he knew exactly what she was doing. He had done the same thing after all. The more and more they talked the more and more he  found they weren’t all that different. Aside from the immortal witch thing  they had more in common than she realized.  He took one of her hands in his.

“Are you sure that’s what it is?  Are you sure you’re not just trying to deny your feelings because you’re afraid of getting hurt?”

“What’s that supposed to me an ? Of course that’s the reason”

“Ivy, let’s cut the crap right here okay? You’re not attracted to some  remnant of power that lives in Varian, if that was the case you would have sought him out  fifteen years earlier. You’re attracted to Varian himself, you just don’t want to admit it to yourself”

“I can’t like him. I just  _ can’t _ ”

“Why?”

“Because it’s just wrong. He’s, he’s 15 , I’m too old for him”

“Really? Cause you don’t look a day over 17 to me”

“You know what I mean Eugene”

“Do I? Think about it. All this time you’ve been 17 right? You haven’t aged at all”

“I wouldn’t say that” she mumbled.

“Really? Because  you sure act like every 17 year old I’ve ever run in to” 

“And you’re just a fountain of wisdom aren’t you?” 

He laughed at that,  causing a smile to creep up on Ivy’s face. 

“I never claimed to be Miss Icy but, I do know a thing or two .  You are impulsive, judgmental, rebellious,  snarky, literally everything a 17 year old is” 

“Rebellious?”

“You live in a tree and don’t wear shoes that seems rebellious to me”

“Rapunzel doesn’t wear shoes”

“Did I ever say she wasn’t rebellious?”

“Alright fair enough. But,  wouldn’t it be wrong? I mean, being with Varian. It would be weird wouldn’t it?” she asked, shuffling her feet.

“Only if you make it weird” Eugene replied “ Look, I know what you’re doing Ivy, I really do, I did the exact same thing when I realized I was in love with Rapunzel. You’re trying to deny your feelings, make any excuse you can to  justify pushing people away. You build up walls because you’re afraid of getting hurt. You’re afraid to  let people in because you’ve been burned before. You figure it’s better to be alone than to be hurt again and again and again. But, I’m going to tell you the truth it’s not. It’s worse. I spent a majority of my life putting up walls and blocking people out. But, when I met Rapunzel, everything changed. Suddenly, I wanted to risk  getting hurt to see what would happen. I wanted to let down the walls I had spent so long building  and let her know the real me, not the façade I put on for the world. And you know what? I’m glad I  did it. It, it changed my life for the better. It helped me reflect  on  my past and  start making changes”

Ivy’s eyes welled with tears, she didn’t know how but, he had managed to see right through her.  He saw right through  the elaborate  persona she put on and  tore it all down.  It was if he had pulled  out  all those hidden thoughts and laid them on the table for all the world to see. She let out a choked sob,  unable to keep her composure any longer.

“I, I ’ve been alone for so long. No-nobody ever wanted me around. They, they only wanted me when they needed something.  When it was convenient for them. As, as soon as they were done, they threw me away.  I, I’ve never had a genuine connection with, with anyone. I’ve always been alone. I, I can’t remember ever being loved or, or  cared for. All, all I’ve ever known was pain and loneliness. I , I’m afraid to feel, afraid to love because it’s always  blown up in my face in the past” 

Eugene pulled her into his arms and let her cry , let her vent thousands of years of pent up emotions.  He held her as she  washed all those bad memories away. He sat  there, comforting her for hours, let her feel her first real instance of someone caring for her. When she finally stilled Eugene let her go,  looking her deep in the eye.

“I know how you feel. I do. That was my life for a long time. I was left by my parents at an orphanage, I spent a long time waiting in the window, so sure  t he y was coming back for me.  When I finally realized that they weren’t I gave up on love and affection. I gave up the hope of ever having that in my life. Then I met Rapunzel and I understood that I didn’t have to live like that  anymore, that I have someone who loved me for me.  And now you do too. You don’t have to be alone anymore. You have Rapunzel and me and Varian and maybe Cass? I don’t know she’s a tough nut to crack. What I’m trying to say is, you don’t have to be alone anymore, you don’t have to suffer in silence anymore. We’re here for you, I promise”

He smiled at her, wiping away a stray tear. She smiled back at him,  a real, genuine smile. She somehow felt lighter,  like she had finally let go of a heavy load she had been carrying for  far  too long.  It was strange, she didn’t know what she expected to happen when she wandered onto the palace grounds this morning but it sure wasn’t this. She never in a million years thought she would connect with an ex rogue , that she would finally be able to start pulling down her walls. Finally be able to feel  again and not be petrified of the ramifications. 

“Thank you, Eugene, really. You, you didn’t have to do this. I was really , really mean to you . You could’ve just blown me off”

“Yeah, but that wouldn’t have been the right thing to do.  You were hurting and you needed someone . It was only right that I reach out a helping hand ” he said, shrugging “And besides, this is some good blackmail material” 

He winked at her letting her know he was just joking. She rolled her eyes , glad that the moment had passed  but happy it had occurred. She got up, brushing off her pants and headed for the castle.  She stopped at the door, turning to face him again.

“Watch what you say Ryder, it might get you hexed” she smirked.

Feeling better than she had in years, Ivy entered the castle with a bounce in her step. Maybe, just maybe, things would be different this time. Maybe she wouldn’t be hurt again. Maybe things would finally go her way. 


End file.
